


Cabinet Boys

by honeyc0rpse, Scorpion_Lungz



Category: Lemon Demon (Musician), ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 | JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Lemon Demon, M/M, Minor Higashikata Josuke (JoJo: Diamond is Unbreakable)/Nijimura Okuyasu, Talk fic, What's the opposite of slow burn, early 2000's, i never learned how to tag things properly, not rlly a songfic, these dumbasses wont shut up, well not really but yknow close enough
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:27:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 29,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25161616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeyc0rpse/pseuds/honeyc0rpse, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scorpion_Lungz/pseuds/Scorpion_Lungz
Summary: (Based off the song Cabinet Man by Lemon Demon.) Mikitaka, an alien who only recently moved to Earth, accidentally meets the love of his life inside of an arcade cabinet…somehow.
Relationships: Hazekura Mikitaka/Kanedaichi Toyohiro
Comments: 19
Kudos: 58





	1. Prologue(s)

(Three years prior)

“Ugh,” Toyohiro groaned as he stared at his newest creation. It was nothing more than a nuisance to him, but, to his employer, it was an opportunity to make thousands. He laid his eyes, lids almost drooping shut, on the commission; a not-yet repaired and painted over arcade machine titled _Cabinet Man_. He didn’t understand much of the new hype this would bring, or if it would bring any, but the buyers were paying a hefty price—who wouldn’t seize this chance? 

He slumped down, his unwashed hair falling to his forehead, and he faced the hardware of the machine. Suffice to say, it was a complete and utter mess—wires and circuit boards glued to places there shouldn’t and way many missing pieces. _Wayyyy too many._ To get a closer look, Toyohiro crawled inside of the arcade cabinet and felt his way around; no need to worry about getting dirty since he also just so happened to look like a burning dumpster fire. His mask that he wore daily was splattered in specks of dried paint and hot glue, his shirt flaking with paint and accidental scissor cuts, and his overalls covered in a decent layer of smoke and dust. “God, how does this even happen?! How do you just—” He cursed out in bitter drowsiness before taking a closer look at the scene around him.

A claw—no, ribs? Wait, both, or neither? Toyohiro tried to shake off the odd mechanism off his arm that was slowly tightening its tense grip. His eyes slowly made it to the other side of the cabinet and, sure enough, the same odd thing was going on there. Before another sound left his mouth, the jaws extended their range and latched onto his chest, before pulling him to the extent of the machine’s walls and closing the backdoor on its own. “Hey! What in the absolute fuck is going on?!” Toyohiro thought to himself. “Goddd, language, Kanedaichi. Now, how the hell do I get out of here?” The jaws quickly retreated, and, seeing this as a sign of escaping, he tried to kick down the door. There was a striking issue though. 

He couldn’t move at all. Not a muscle nor a nerve. He couldn’t even close his eyes or open his mouth. He was stuck there for who knows how long. Trapped within his thoughts and his newly found stand,「Cabinet Man」.

His stand just so happened to be bound to the arcade machine he was held hostage in. It was unusual in the way that it worked—with the main point being that there must be a human being inside at all times. The only way to free them is to win the game, but with that, the winner would be locked in the machine as well until the cycle repeats itself. The victim will remain alive and thinking, but motionless as they metaphorically deteriorate in their neon prison.

An alien. A simple title, yes, but it was what Mikitaka introduced himself as to his first-ever friends, or that’s what they are to him now. Originally traveling to Earth from the Magellanic Clouds, he wanted to see if it was a suitable place for him to call home. It had been three months since then, and—boy howdy—it was the strangest three months in his 216-year lifespan. Since then, he made several more friends, learned Earth’s customs and rules (don’t eat tissues or people will look at you strangely), and even some common terms, such as slang, which his good friend Josuke has told him to never use as it ‘sounds odd.’ Still, he enjoyed Earth and its many strange occurrences and customs. Just…he still missed his home. Come to the present day—around mid-fall. Mikitaka opened his Nokia cell phone and made a call to one of his closest friends, Okuyasu. The phone made a pleasant ringing sound, before the billion-dollar man himself answered. 

“Oi! Miki man, how’s it hangin’?” The energy-filled voice of Okuyasu filled his speakers. 

“Salutations to yourself, Okuyasu. I was wondering if you were free this evening to partake in some friendly activities. Would you mind accompanying me? Your life companion may join if he so wishes.” He said with a cool tone, opposite that of Okuyasu’s. Definitely calmer. 

“No can do, buckaroo. Sorry man, Josuke and I are going on a double date with Koichi and Yukako. Maybe tomorrow we can hang. Ya' dig?” 

“Hmm, I think I understand you. Sure, we can ‘hang’ tomorrow once I complete my daily tasks at work. Give Josuke my salutations, and have a great romantic outgoing.” His tone of voice–although barely noticeable–seemed to drop in disappointment. 

“Cool! See ya’ tomorrow man!” 

“We'll congregate tomorrow. Have a splendid time of darkness.”

“Night to ya' too!” and then, Okuyasu hung up, leaving Mikitaka alone by himself. With nothing else to do, he felt alone. Then, he remembered the old arcade in the shopping center of town. ‘That seems like an adequate use of recreational time,’ he thought, and threw on his alien-themed hoodie, before walking down to the arcade. Little did he know of the events that would transpire that night.


	2. In the Arcade

Mikitaka made his way into the building, brimming with life and the sound of games going off left and right. The little dings and pings of the machines made him smile; he liked the noise. Heading up to the counter, he exchanged 2000 yen for 20 100 Yen coins (enough to play 20 games.) ‘This should last me a decent amount of time if I spend my coins well,’ he thought. Slowly, he traveled around, playing any games he could. He started with pinball; the small bells and thrill of the game entertaining him for a good hour. Next, he headed to the claw machine and saw a rather attainable plush of a spider. It took him five tries, but he finally managed to latch onto the plush with the metal claw. As he saw it fall into the attainment shelf, he let out a quiet, yet happy, “Success!” before reaching into the compartment and getting his prize. 

Afterward, he looked into his hands and saw how many coins he had left, which on closer inspection was 3. With two coins, he played a couple of games of skeeball and went over near the bathrooms—where the vending machine was located. There, he found a rather out of place arcade game with the name  _ Cabinet Man _ . A little boy, no older than 12, played it vigorously, shouting things like, “Man, I’m the best at this game!” and “Suck my nuts!”

“What a peculiar child…” Mikitaka thought, before purchasing his water. Then, that’s when he saw it. The kid shouted, “Whoo! I won!” before typing in his name, KEN, into the computer. Suddenly, a horrifying sight plays out in front of him. As quick as lightning, what seemed to be claws grew from the gaming consol’s screen, and grabbed onto the kid. Once sucked in, the kid vanishes, as the bottom of the machine opens. A man rolled out from the bottom, coughing. He seemed to be in pain. 

“Well, I may not be from Earth, but I do not believe that is normal,” Mikitaka said, with a perplexed expression. 

Toyohiro rubbed his eyes. Wait he rubbed them? He can move? With a giant gasp relief, he patted himself down just to make sure this wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t.

“I’m out! Oh my god, I’m finally free!” he exclaimed, his voice booming with the joy he hadn’t had for so long. He quickly looked around, taking in every single detail of the arcade; the flashing lights, the loud noises, and the strange man standing right in front of him drinking a bottle of water. 

“Salutations strange being. If I may ask, what were you doing in that gaming cabinet?” he questioned. Toyohiro, with immense difficulty, managed to stand up. He made eye contact with the odd individual. Bright green eyes just staring at him. After being in the dark for so long, those eyes were the prettiest things he’s seen. 

“Look, man,” he tried not to scream, “Are you willing to hear me out on this?”

“Hear you out? Whatever is there to hear? I can hear you perfectly fine.” he answered, not with blatant ignorance, but genuine curiosity. 

“No, no, I mean. Whatever, fuck it. I’ve been living in that box of hell for three years! Three years! I haven’t seen the sun in so long!” He tugged at his hair. Just who is this guy?

“Hm? That seems hard for an earthling such as yourself, without food or water. Unless...you are an alien as well.? If so, which planet do you originate from? Three years you say? Seems like a long time in such a small vessel.” 

“A what?” Toyohiro asked. “Did I miss out on an entire alien invasion?! I just  _ haaaddd _ to miss that one out, right?! I knew it!” he exclaimed. Was this a previous theory he had or did the arcade rot his brain? Might be a combination of both. 

“Ah, so you’re not an alien. That’s a real shame. Sorry to disappoint, but as far as I know, I’m the only alien here on earth. So, what, or who, are you then? I do not believe a normal human can live in an arcade machine.” He answered. He eyed Toyohiro with those large green eyes, taking in every single bit of his appearance. The messy overalls, the moppy hair, and the dirty ‘face.’ Oh—and he wasn’t wearing shoes either. Toyohiro sighed. 

“And neither do I, but here we are. By the way, who the hell are you? You don’t seem to be ‘round here, eh?”

“As I explained, I am an alien. My name is Nu Mikitakazo Nshi, although my alias on Earth is Mikitaka Hazekura. At least, that is what my friends call me, so it seems fitting you should as well. And you are?”

He blanked out for a second. He’d focus so long on getting out that his personal information was stored in the depths of his mind. “Um…Toyohiro. Yeah, I’m sure that was it.” He looked around once more. Sure, he was used to the sound, but not of such high quality like now. “Sooooo…you’re an alien?” 

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Toyohiro. And that is correct, although I prefer to keep my alien status a secret. I wouldn’t want to erase your mind. Would you care for some water?” He held out his water bottle to Toyohiro. 

Water! Yeah, that was a thing! “I—is it okay if I take it? Wait—” he asked, before thinking for another solid second, “Erase my mind?” 

“Don’t concern yourself with it for the time being. And of course, you can have it. Apologies, I already took a sip. Although, I have my own question for you.” He gave the water bottle to Toyohiro. With shaking hands, he took it and began to drink. 

“Mmh? What are they? He said in between sips. Three years since he’d actually drank anything. Man, what a feeling. 

“You said you have been in that machine for the last three years. Do you have a place to return to for the present moment?” 

Right. He had a home. Less of home and more of a shabby apartment he lived in. Good thing he didn’t own any personal belongings. “At this point? Nah. I mean, I  _ did _ have a place to sleep ‘n stay in, but at this point, the landlord’s rented it out to some other poor schmuck.” He took another sip. 

“Well, I understand if you do reject my offer, as we have just met, but you are welcome to return with me to my dwelling. It is not the largest place, but I can offer you clean clothes and a place to rest,” he offered. 

“Really?! Are you sure?” He took another sip. Was it a good idea to trust this stranger? He seemed nice enough. 

“I do not see what the problem is. You accepted my water, which means we now have a bond of trust, and I don’t believe you pose a threat to me at this current time.” Mikitaka smiled at Toyohiro. A subtle yet calm smile—you could tell he was trustworthy. 

“We have  _ whaaaaat _ ?”

“Oh, apologies! I am still unfamiliar with Earth customs, but on my home planet trading water between two people is considered a bond of sorts between two people, like friends except greater.” 

“Don’t sweat it. Uh…” He looked at his socked feet, then to Mikitaka, and then to what seemed to be the exit. The glass doors were dark—it’s nighttime? “It’s probably gettin’ late…so…” 

“Ah yes, the hours of darkness are dwindling. The arcade should be closing soon. But do not fret, my residence is a mere five-minute walk from our current location.” He pointed to the exit doors.

“Is it? Sweet.” He tried to forget the fact that sitting and not moving for so long made it way too hard for him to walk. 

“Do you require aid? I may be able to help you.” 

“I’ll be fine. See?” Toyohiro tried to take a step out, but instead, he fell right into Mikitaka. Great. Just great.  _ This isn’t homoerotic whatsoever.  _

“Here, let me be of assistance.” Mikitaka regained his balance and picked Toyohiro up with ease. Toyohiro was both confused and comforted. There was something about this guy that just made him—

“ Oh. Thank you?” Under the mask he wore, his face was drenched in a light shade of red.

“No problem, Toyohiro. I’m happy to help!” He made his way to the exit and walked home with the odd cabinet boy in his arms. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> now is a good time to mention that we've been writing this bs wayyy too much and half of it is just awkward dialogue im sorry


	3. Alien's Abode

The man felt somewhat cold in his arms, yet a faint warmth radiated off of him. It was comforting, yet strange. Mikitaka had never held an earthling before. Was this how it always felt? Carefully, as to not harm the man, he walked back to his apartment. He grabbed his keys and unlocked the door. As he entered, he slid off his shoes as carefully as alienly possible. It wasn’t anything fancy: just a one-bedroom apartment with a small kitchen and living room consisting only of a small two-seat couch and a TV. He brought Toyohiro into his room. 

“Welcome to my abode. I hope it is to your liking,” the alien boy said. Inside, all Toyohiro could see was a shelf filled with small knick-knacks, mostly alien-themed, along with some items he collected from Earth, and a pile of blankets. There were two other doors besides the entrance, one led to the bathroom, the other to the closet. 

“It’s better than a dusty arcade machine, that’s for sure,” Toyohiro said, as he glanced around at the items in the room. Mikitaka began to get clammy, as he slowly began to believe his living arrangement was unsatisfactory. 

“Apologies if this comes off as rude, but I believe most living arrangements are better than an arcade machine.” He glanced off to the side as if he was embarrassed. A faint shade of green-tinted his cheeks. 

“No! I’m saying it’s great! It’s really nice actually! I like it tons!” Slowly, Mikitaka’s face lit up once more. 

“Really? You believe so?” His eyes questioned the man he held, and his voice raised in pitch to express a hint of happiness at the compliment. 

“It’s fuckin’ sick, man!” He pointed to one of the many knick-knacks. “Hey, what’s that?” He pointed at a small model of a UFO glazed in a shiny coating. Mikitaka’s face lit up. 

“Oh, joy of joys! I’m glad it is of acceptable standards!” His face radiated a light green, and his smile grew wider, “That is a model of a UFO I acquired some time ago. The way you humans believe aliens look amuses me, so I collect various objects relating to the subject.”

“You mean like those weird little green dudes with the huge eyes? Yeah, I think they’re lame too. Besides, what’s the point? Like, from a scientific standpoint it makes no sense.”

“I don’t find them ‘lame’ as you would describe it, although I find it amusing,” He then looked back at Toyohiro with those wide green eyes of his, “Anyway, I believe you might be interested in a shower, as you Earthlings seem to enjoy the warm water. Are you able to stand without aid?” 

“Oh. Yeah. A shower. I  _ think _ I can stand. I’ll be fine though.” Toyohiro said, with a bit of uncertainty. 

“Alright. I will set you down, and grab you a pair of clean clothes. Any clothing preferences? Mine may not fit perfectly, but we can take you to buy some more sometime soon, and I can wash your current pair!” He looked at the man with curiosity, quietly waiting for the answer.

“Anything’s fine, I guess. It doesn’t really matter.” He shrugged. Mikitaka nodded as if making a decision in his head, “Alright, I will set you down now. The shower contains the necessary supplies for showering. Make use of it as you see fit.” Carefully, Mikitaka set Toyohiro on his feet, making sure the man was able to get balance. Then, as if it was a dance, he gracefully walked over to the closet and grabbed out an outfit. It was quite simple: light denim jeans, with a pastel pink t-shirt, along with a pair of underwear, white socks, and a light blue hoodie with the English word ‘Believe’ written out in bold white letters across the top. Everything else seemed that it would fit nicely, although the hoodie was rather baggy. He then handed Toyohiro the clothes. 

“Will those be satisfactory?” 

“Yeah. Honestly, I’m fine with anything. No need to give me your good looking clothes.”

“Don’t worry about it. Although, would you prefer sleeping attire for the time being? After all, it will be around the time for temporary hibernation when you finish your shower.”

“Temporary hibernation? Huh?” He asked, perplexed at the wording. 

“Why yes,” Mikitaka replied, “I cannot remember the exact wording. What was it again? Hmmm…” He looked to be in deep thought, brow furrowed in concentration. Then, he snapped, and said, “Ah! I remember! It was called sleep!” 

“Did you really not know about the word sleep? Man, you really are an alien.” A sarcastic tone was ever-present in his voice—a tone Mikitaka did not comprehend. Instead, a dark green blush fell over his entire face, as he began to hide it at the top of his hoodie. 

“Sorry...I am still attempting to learn your language, and all its word’s meanings.” 

“No need to apologize. You’re talking to a guy who’s pretty much traveled three years into the future—I don’t know shit either.” He paused for a moment, focusing on Mikitaka’s face. “Hey…about your face…” Mikitaka looked at him in surprise, covering his face with his hand. The blush only got more severe. 

“My face? Wh-What’s wrong with my face?” 

“It’s…green?” 

“Oh, is it?! I-I’m sorry, I didn’t think my blush would be that visible. Is that why everything feels warm on my face?” He tried to hide his face further into the hoodie.

“Blush? Your blush’s green? That’s cool as hell.”

“Y-yes...it is part of the whole...natural green blood situation...Anyway! Let me go get you some sleeping attire!” He walked over and got him some pajama pants and an oversized T-shirt with a stereotypical green alien on the front. 

“Green blood? Wow.” His eyes began to shine in amazement as if this was the coolest thing he had ever heard about. Mikitaka took a breath and calmed down.

“Correct. It’s quite strange to me that you humans have red blood without cosmetic alterations. But, ‘it is what it is,’ as my friend Okuyasu would say. Here,” he handed Toyohiro the pajamas close, and took the day's clothes back, “I will lay these out for you tomorrow. Go take your shower, and I will wait here.” 

Toyohiro tried his best to walk to the bathroom while using the wall as support. “I suppose you don’t have any weird intergalactic technology in your shower, right?” he asked.

“I’m afraid not. It is just a normal shower. Most of my technology was lost in my ship, unfortunately.” 

“It’s fine,” he sighed. He made his way into the bathroom and locked the door. Compared to the rest of his living space, Mikitaka’s bathroom looked fairly normal. Toyohiro thought a bit more. What if he  _ does  _ have some weird alien contraption hiding here? Is this guy really an alien or was it an elaborate persona? He shook off the thought and took off his overalls, only now finding out that his entrapment left him with numerous odd-looking markings on him—faint burn marks and lacerations from circuitry which should heal soon. He took off his mask—adorned with Tetris blocks running down his eyes—and finally got a look at his face in the mirror. He hated it. Absolutely hated it. He took off the rest of his clothing and got into the shower, still using the wall as support. 

~

After what seemed like forever, Toyohiro finally stepped out of the shower with his mask on, a towel around his waist, dirty clothes in one hand, and pajamas in the other. There was a slight variance in skin tone from his upper neck and head to his lower neck and the rest of his body due to the mask. 

“Ah, you’ve joined me once again! While you were in there, I ran to the convenience store and bought you toiletries. I hope these are adequate for the moment being. I can take your dirty clothes if you would like.” Mikitaka greeted him, holding a bag of essentials. 

“Oh, uh, thanks.” He made his way to Mikitaka and handed him the paint-covered clothing. 

“No problem. Is there anything else I can get you?”

“Nope. I’m gonna try and put these on, um, give me a moment.” He walked into the bathroom again, closing the door, and took a bit too long putting the pajamas on. Then, all of a sudden—

“ _ HACK!  _ What the hell?!” He exclaimed. 

“Hello? Is everything alright in there?” Mikitaka knocked on the door with concern. 

“Hey, you might wanna check this out.” Toyohiro opened the door, holding a 100 Yen coin with drips of blood and saliva on it. 

“That is...rather strange, even by my standards.”

“I just coughed out a coin! I mean, how does that—” he paused for a moment. Oh. Uh oh. “Wait.”

“Wait for what?” 

“I was inside an arcade machine, right? Then…does that mean,” he tried not to gag at the sight of the coin, “There’s probably a buncha’ other stuff that’s messed up with me now? Am I half video-game console?”

“That is quite a strange occurrence. If I may ask, how did you end up in that machine? What exactly happened?”

“One day I was just fixing up this piece of junk since I was going to get paid well, and then I finally started working on the hardware. I’ve been working on this thing for a good while, mind you. So I crawled in to get a better look at the thing. And then, if I remember, these white claws came out of nowhere and  _ bam! _ —I got stuck.” 

“Hmmm...how bizarre. From what my friends described, It sounds similar to the ‘stands’ they talk about. Although, you would have to ask them, as I am not an expert on the topic. And I’m not sure what a stand would want with you. Or what its motive would be.” 

“A stand, huh? I wonder if it’s gonna fuck up anything elseeee…” He immediately tensed up where he stood. Welp. Now he knew. 

“Toyohiro?! Are you okay?! What is malfunctioning?!”

“I…can’t…move? Damn. Not again,” he was able to mutter. At least this was better than his previous predicament.

“What can I do to help?! Are you okay?!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there is no outline for this please help us


	4. Roomates? Roomates!

Mikitaka’s hair rose, face in a state of sheer panic. Worried about his new friend, he was looking around to try and figure out a solution. He grabbed Toyohiro’s shoulders and violently shook him. ‘Maybe this will help reboot him’ he thought.

“Is this helping? How do I help?!” Mikitaka quavered. 

Following a few seconds of violent shaking, the effect lost its grip. “I…I think it helped!” A wave of relief flooded the room, as Mikitaka’s hair fell back down with a state of tranquility filling him.

“Thank the stars! You had me worried for a second there. Please, try to avoid the paralysis if possible.”

“As much as I want to stop it, I think it’s also a part of those stands you were talking to me about. I hope it doesn't get worse than this,” Toyohiro muttered. Mikitaka patted him with light and slow taps as if to comfort the other. 

“I will talk with my friends tomorrow. Hopefully, they will help. For now, why don’t we rest?” He gave Toyohiro a comforting smile. 

“After all the bullshit today, that sounds like a good idea.” Toyohiro sighed as if to let all his frustration from the past 3 years go in a single exhale. Slowly, Mikitaka hoisted him up once again, as carefully as possible, and brought him to the blanket pile. His eyelids slammed shut as he was unconscious immediately. 

“You humans are so fragile, and require so much rest,” Mikitaka cooed. Mikitaka slumped down and soon joined the human in prolonged unconsciousness. 

~

What woke Mikitaka up was the sound of the blaring alarm, which he turned off as quickly as possible. He noticed his left arm was buried under Toyohiro, asleep from the pressure on his nerves. Unsure of how to address the situation, he attempted to use「Earth Wind and Fire」. Slowly but surely, he morphed his arm into a thin, blue...sash? Cord? Well, it was definitely blue and thin. After that, He managed to pull his arm out and contort it back to normal. As quietly as possible, he tiptoed over to get his work uniform. It stood out among the other clothing in his closet; nothing else even came close to its quite dull appearance. It was a white dress shirt paired with black pants and a bright red apron that had the store’s logo embroidered on the front. He headed into the bathroom to take a quick shower, the longest part of the whole ordeal was getting his hair dried. Afterward, he walked over to the shelf and grabbed his name tag, a hair tie, and some hairpins. Carefully, he attempted to put his hair into a braid, and from there into a braided bun. While yes, nothing was saying he couldn’t have his hair down, he preferred it up due to cleanliness concerns. There is less of a chance animals can get into it that way, and parents’ daughters find it amusing to look at. Plus, the utter length of his hair could not keep a simple ponytail up and away from the mess. However, he wasn’t very good at braiding, so it looked more akin to a ruffled mop. He huffed in a tad bit of defeat and frustration, but he tried his best. He looked over and saw that Toyohiro was dead asleep. He figured it might frighten him if he awoke being alone, so he scribbled up a note next to the blanket pile. 

“Goodbye for the time being, Earthling,” He gently whispered before grabbing his keys and departing for the day. 

Toyohiro finally arose up in the afternoon, now resting on the floor instead of the blanket pile where he fell asleep. Trying not to fall over once more, he stood up and made his way to the living room, using the walls as support once more. What time was it? He wasn’t exactly sure, but the sun was up and it burned his eyes. He stepped around, eying the possibly hundreds of small artifacts littered everywhere. Little figurines depicting the imagery of green aliens, the stars, rocket ships, UFOs, and similar paraphernalia fitting the whole alien aesthetic going on. He found it fairly endearing, and then he called back to what Mikitaka had recited to him repeatedly the night before. Was this guy really an alien? How so? He explored the apartment once more before returning to the blanket pile, picking the note up and reading it. 

‘Toyohiro, I am departing for now in order to obtain currency. I will be at a location where you can acquire various pets. I will return at 3:15 PM local time. My phone number is listed below. Take care! Your new friend, Mikitaka,” the note wrote in blocky handwriting as if it was written by a small child. It appeared as if he had only recently learned how to, and the movement of pen and paper were unnatural to this being. He scanned through the note multiple times. What did he mean by obtaining currency? A job? He looked at the phone number, reciting it in his head over and over. They had just met only hours ago, so calling him at this moment would seem a bit strange and too clingy. He walked back to the living room and slipped onto the couch, fixating on each and every single little item scattered around. 

~

At around 3:15, as the message stated, Mikitaka’s keys rattled, with the door soon flying open. He entered his home with a long and withdrawn sigh. It was a long day at work, but overall not a bad one. He handled a couple of cats, as well as a few dogs, and even a mouse! He found mice to be one of the most entertaining creatures residing in the shop, hoping to own one soon. The only bad thing that occurred had to do with a dog snapping at him, but luckily nothing was damaged. It just spooked him a little bit, nothing more. His braided bun frayed into an even bigger mess, soon to fall apart. As he closed the door, he left his shoes at the entrance. With a deep breath to calm himself down from his mixed emotions, he gently called out: 

“Toyohiro, I have returned!”

“Oh, you’re back!” The man in question sat criss-cross on the couch, peering at the alien with a somewhat joyful look, although it was hardly noticeable by a person well versed in facial expressions, and damn near impossible for Mikitaka to pick up on. The mask also didn’t give him any advantages.

“Why yes, I wrote that I would return around 3:15 in my note. You received it, yes?” 

“I read it, yeah, but I didn’t expect it to be three already. I’ve only been awake for…hm…an hour or so?” 

“You must’ve been tired then.” He took off his apron and left it on the counter, before taking out his mangled hair from its pseudo-braid prison and falling to his back. 

“I haven’t properly slept in several years.” 

“Ah, that makes perfect sense. Have you consumed anything? We can head to town for food if you would like.”

“Nope.” 

“I see. Then would you like to head to town sometime soon? If you have not properly slept, as you said, in three years, I would reckon your dietary habits would be in the same state?”

“I guess so.”

“Alright. Any substances you wish to consume in particular?”

“I don’t know. Honestly, I also haven’t thought about eating for at least a good nine or ten months. What places are nearby?” 

“Hmm…there’s an Italian restaurant, a noodle house, a restaurant that likes to serve bizarre combinations, such as miso-flavored beef tongue, and an ice cream vendor from what I am aware of. Do any of those peak your interest?” Mikitaka cocked his head in a slight tilt, as if in a curious, question state. His hair, however, didn’t follow the laws of gravity.

“Do you wanna get ice cream together?” 

“I don’t see why not. Are you sure you don’t want something more filling?”

“My lungs are filled with coins. I think I’ll be fine. Besides, we can just take a walk or something.” Lungs? Do you fucking think food goes into the lungs?

“Right. The weather this time of year is quite cold by human standards, so I recommend wearing something to contain your body’s natural warmth. Would you like to wear the outfit I left for you, or something else?” Mikitaka, as with most human things, was oblivious to Toyohiro’s motives for the ice cream and walk. 

“I’ll wear the one you picked out. I think the sweater’s pretty cute.” 

“Ah, thank you! I picked it out myself not too long ago when I was at one of the local shopping centers! I find it to be one of my favorite possessions! I hope you get the same amount of elation from it.” He gave a wide yet innocent smile, brimming with curiosity and the like. Still nothing; oblivious as ever.

“I’m sure I will.” Under his mask, a wide grin but unsteady grew on Toyohiro’s face. When was this man gonna get the hint? Possibly never.

“Oh, joy! See you in a little bit to depart!” And with that, he went to get some non-work clothes to change into. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> editing this simultaneously it melting my brain  
> were actually well in writing chapter 10 rn ignwiengiwengiwngwrg


	5. We're in public? Great.

Toyohiro brought the clothes he was given last night and changed in the bathroom. He looked at his reflection in the mirror—the sweater felt incredibly warm and soft on his skin. He liked it tons—perhaps a bit too much. While talking with Mikitaka, he’d noticed something about himself that he hadn't before. He enjoyed Mikitaka’s presence greatly and found him to be a wonderfully interesting character. After a brief moment, Toyohiro exited the bathroom and towards the closet to meet with him once again. He lightly tapped on the door. 

“Are you ready?” he questioned. 

“Yes, I believe I am. Are you?” The door swayed open, revealing an oversized purple jacket, a simple white tee adorned with star decals, and indigo cargo pants. In his hand, he held a small bag in the shape of a star. 

“Yeah. Also,” Toyohiro looked down, “Um…not to be a bother but I don’t have any shoes.” 

“Oh, that’s not too much of a predicament. I have an extra pair. I hope they will fit comfortably.” 

“I think they will; you know, with what they say about shoe size. Or something like that.” Regret filled his core as he said that. Bad idea. 

“No, I am not sure what ‘they’ say about shoe size. What do they say? I see no possible significance in shoe size.” He used air quotes around the word they. 

“Nevermind! I never said anything of the sort!” he stuttered. He was right. It was a terrible idea. 

“Alright. If you do not wish to tell me, I will just ask my friend Okuyasu what it means later! You, humans, have so much slang, and he seems to know many things about it!” He beamed with glee. 

“Oh…great…” It was worth a shot. (No it wasn’t.) 

“Okay! Once I give you some shoes, will you be ready to depart?” Toyohiro nodded. Mikitaka, with his hair seemingly floating as he walked, grabbed two pairs of shoes—one for himself and one for Toyohiro. After they put their shoes on, they both left to go out in public. Oh god.  _ Public. _ Oh, the horrors that awaited them there.

Although Toyohiro still didn’t get the hang of walking correctly, Mikitaka assisted him by offering support. It was a nice day outside; the sun was out, the cool and gentle wind blowing around, and people generally going about their business in their own daily lives. Toyohiro hadn’t felt this in so long, but it was enjoyable seeing other people out in public. Even pre-cabinet, he was a shut-in and rarely went outside. Maybe being in there made him value the world, just slightly. Then again, maybe not. 

It was around mid-September, with the weather beginning to get windy and more miserable. Still, they ventured to the ice cream vendor and ordered two cones: a cookie dough one for Mikitaka, and a mint chocolate chip one for Toyohiro. Then, they began their walk around the park. It was around four in the afternoon, so the sun slowly dwindled in the sky.

“Is the weather and ice cream to your satisfaction?”

“It is. What about you? Do you like it?” 

“Yes, I have to say Earth food is much more diverse than that on my home planet. I’d say it’s superior!” He gave a smile, then pushed the hair out of his face and behind his ears, revealing the pointed tips and piercings he had hidden beforehand. Before, the only obvious one was the nose ring he wore almost constantly. 

“Wait…hold on…” Toyohiro eyed the piercings on his ears as well as the pointed tips.

“Hm? Hold on for what?” He looked at the other with a rather confused expression. 

“Did you get surgery for those ears? I mean, how do you even get them like that?”

“What? No, I was born with them.” He held his ears to cover them, for the first time realizing they were not exactly ‘normal’ Then, he looked at Toyohiro, noticing his ears, which were also pointy. “But, I do not understand why you are questioning mine. Your ears are also pointy.” 

“Oh…uh, about that.” His cheeks flared up inside of the mask with a light blush.

“What about it? Is it not a normal occurrence?” He realized compared to his other friends they were irregular, but maybe others had similar ear shapes.

“I’m wearing a mask? I’m a bit surprised you haven’t noticed yet. I mean, who gets  _ this  _ tattooed under their eyes?” He pointed to the Tetris-like marks on his face. 

“Well, maybe you just chose to. I am not one to judge the decisions of others. Especially seeing many others with facial markings,” his eyes grew questioning, and his brows furrowed, “So...that’s not your real face? And your ears are not pointed?” He was slightly disappointed, albeit not surprised. After all, he varied in many traits from humans. 

“I’m not gonna answer that. I have a face underneath. That’s all.” Was it a good looking one or atrocious? No.

“Oh, okay. If you do not like my questions, I shall cease!” And with that, he turned forward and continued, humming a little tune as he walked. Not soon after, his phone began to ring. He opened it up and saw Okuyasu’s name flash on the small screen. 

“Ah! It is my friend Okuyasu! Do you mind if I take this call, Toyohiro?”

“Go ahead. I don’t mind.” He licked his ice cream.

“Okay. It shouldn’t take too long!” he replied, before answering the phone. “Salutations Okuyasu. How are you today?” 

“Just handy dandy! Look, sorry about yesterday Miki bro. Josuke and I are free tonight though if you wanna hang!” Okuyasu answered, voice cheerful as per usual.

“that sounds lovely Okuyasu, but I will have to politely decline. I am with a friend eating ice cream in the park at the moment.”

“Woah, Woah, Woah! Hold the phone! You got a friend!?”

“Correct, although I am already holding my phone. His name is Toyohiro. We are eating ice cream in the park currently, so I will have to decline your offer.” 

“Nah man, that’s chill! Chill! Get it, like ice cream! Anyway, enjoy your date! And don’t forget to tell me how it goes!” Mikitaka, in response, looked ahead of him with pure confusion. 

“Date?” he queried, with his face puzzling more what the situation appeared to be. He didn’t want to correct him though. He was unsure as to why exactly. ‘‘Date’ had a nice ring to it,’ he thought. “Oh, okay. I will enjoy my date! Thank you! Tell Josuke I say salutations.”

“Okay! Tell yer’ date we say hi! See ya’ soon!” and with that, he hung up. Suddenly, Mikitaka remembered. 

“Darn,” he muttered, “I forgot to ask him about the shoe thing you brought up earlier. Oh well, I will ask him next time.” He looked back at Toyohiro with a smile.

“Date?! We—huh?” Was Mikitaka as oblivious as he previously thought?

“Apologies, I feel as if I should explain. Sorry if my conversation caught you off guard. My friend Okuyasu and his Life Companion, Josuke, wanted to partake in friendly activities that create bonds and use leisure time. I told them I was ‘hanging out’ with a friend, which they interpreted as me lying about being on a ‘date.’ I see no need to correct him. Speaking of which, Okuyasu says salutations.” 

“So…a boyfriend, eh?” 

“That is the correct word, yes, but I prefer the words Life Companion. It seems more interpersonal. But yes, boyfriend is the popular word used by your kind.”

“I—by your logic—are we…you know…?” 

“Do I know what by my logic?” He looked at the other with even more confusion plastered on his face.

Toyohiro had no clue how to respond. Already? They’d just met. Then again, he thought about it some more. He did like Miktiaka (that was obvious) but did he reciprocate those feelings back? 

“Uh, are we boyfriends. Or, um, Life Companions? We barely know each other!” He tried his best to sound sane. He did not. 

“Well, we already share a water bond. I’m not sure if that is more significant than your Life Companion bond, but that is up to you as well. Is that the bond you are aiming for?” 

“What?! No, I mean, maybe? Sure? If you're up to it?” Under his mask, his face was painted in a cold sweat. 

“Hmm…you seem like a decent person. I see no issue with attempting this bond. I will warn you, I am not very knowledgeable about Earth’s customs for these bonds.” 

“Whew! Okay. I guess we’re dating now! Wow! That was fast. But—” Toyohiro questioned, “—do you know what I’m talking about or are you just playing along?” 

“I cannot lie, I am not completely certain what this Life Companion entails. From my observations, I have seen physical contact is a large portion, as well as compliments, as Okuyasu has explained them to me. I do not know much beyond that.” 

“ _ Shiiiiiiiit, _ ” he muttered under his breath. Dammit. 

“What seems to be the issue? You seem disappointed in my answer. Did I do something wrong?” 

“No! I don’t blame you for not knowing. I mean, I’m not so sure what I’m doing myself— _ HACK! _ ” he coughed out another coin, this time into his palm.

“My stars, are you okay?!”

“I’m fine. But hey,” he wiped the coin, “Free money.” 

“Are you certain? I am concerned for your wellbeing, and if the coins lodged in your lungs will prove a problem.” 

“I’m sure there are tons more coins. Just sitting there. I’m fine though. Don’t worry.” For the first time, he smiled at Mikitaka. It was an off-putting, yet somewhat endearing smile. A good smile.

“Okay, if you say so. But please, if you need anything, I would like to be of assistance.” A fading green blush appeared on his face in reaction to that small smile. He was unsure of why it was happening to him, and as a result, he panicked internally. 

“I’ll be fine, no worries.” Putting the coin in his pocket, Toyohiro finished the rest of the ice cream.

“O-okay.” he attempted his best to hide the blush by eating the ice cream. It was not effective whatsoever.

“You don’t have to hide it,” Toyohiro began, referring to his blush, “It’s cute.” It’s cute? Did he have to say now? He sounded like a total jackass. Oh well. 

“O-oh! Okay. Thank….Thank you?” 

“No problem.” 

“Is there anything else you would like to do in town?”

“We could go home if you want. You look pretty tired too.”

“That would make sense If I was required to sleep. But no, I am not tired. We can depart if you would prefer though.” 

“You don’t have to sleep?” Lucky.

“No, although I do enjoy the experience. Very warm, if I do say so.”

“What’s the point of sleeping if you don’t have to?”

“Hmm. Currently, or in the past?”

“Either or. Your pick.” 

“Well, in the past it was to understand how humans work and prefer to sleep. Currently, well, I’m rather embarrassed to admit.” 

“You are? That’s fine.”  **It was not fine.** He wanted to know, but then again he couldn’t be so sure. Did he sleep next to him last night? Was that why?

“Well, uh, I...well, let me explain. Normally, my friends will sleep with one another. They say it is comfortable. I, uh, wanted to see what they were talking about. Sorry, I truly do apologize…” 

“Uh…um…was it?” Toyohiro’s face lit up immediately. Did he sleep next to him? Maybe he was getting ahead of himself a bit too early—or it probably was the lack of decent social knowledge.

“Uh...yes, it was.” The blush on his face only darkened on his cheeks, soon spreading to other areas on his face. 

“Really? With me out of all people?”

“…Yes. Is there a problem with that?” 

“No! I was just surprised. We don’t know each other too well.” The blush under his mask was overwhelming his senses. 

“W-well, I also wasn’t sure where to lay down for the night. That is my only sleeping area, so I figured I would share it.” 

“You have a point…”

“Y-yes, but I don't have to sleep if you want the blanket pile to yourself!”

“I mean, uh, I also really like sleeping with you,” and under his breath, he murmured, “ **_Fuckkkk._ ** ”

“R-really?”

“Yeah! A bit too much, maybe. Um,” he tried to distract them both from the current conversation, “How about we go back to your place?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it is 2 : 57 am i just saw god with my own two poorly working eyes


	6. Trust Me Man We're Just Friends

This whole afternoon was a strange experience for the two, but neither would say it was unpleasant. Once they returned to his apartment, Mikitaka had no idea on what to do next. 

“So...what now?” 

“Hm? I’m not sure,” Toyohiro doubted, “If I’m being totally honest with you, which I am by the way, while I was trapped in my ‘stand,’ I thought that when I escaped, it was gonna be a totally different situation. Definitely not like this”

“Wait...what exactly was your plan for when you parted ways with that machine?” 

“It was less of a plan and more of a prediction, really. I never thought I’d actually end up here, in someone else’s house (much less someone like you); I more so thought I’d be left to roam around with no money and a shit ton of regret.”

“That doesn’t sound like a very uplifting outlook on your freedom.” He gave Toyohiro’s back a sympathy pat. Much like last time, it was light and soft to the touch.

“I guess it’s good that I didn’t end up there, huh? And it’s all because of you,” his voice transitioned from his often sarcastic tone to more sincere and gentle, “Really. Thank you.”

“It is really no problem. I’m very glad I got to meet you, Toyohiro!” He shot back at Toyohiro with another warm smile, and a big hug, “Thank you for existing.” Toyohiro hugged him back, softly.

“I could say the same thing to you, too.”

“Aww, thank you!” He kept his grip, tighter now. After a couple of minutes, he, at last, let go. “Sorry!” was all he said, a little embarrassed at how long the hug lasted, which caused his hair to flare up as well ad the green shade on his face. He tried to find words to say after that, but nothing came to mind. So, with that, he simply left. Walked into his room, and lay in the blanket pile. Yes, that would help. Toyohiro followed him to the blanket pile and plopped down next to him.

“You don’t have to apologize, you know. I’ve never really been hugged before, so it was nice. I thought it was, anyway.”

“Oh, I thought that was a common gesture on Earth. Is it not? I am glad you enjoyed the hug.”

“It is, but usually it’s with two—erm—Life Companions or it’s a familial thing. I don’t remember much of my family and I’ve never really dated anyone.”

“That’s...sad. It seems like a friendly gesture. Well, I have no more family, and I’ve only been here for three months. I just occasionally hug my friends when they feel down. So yes, the hug was...nice.”

“You don’t have a family anymore…?” Was this a bad thing to ask?  **Yes, it was.**

“That is correct. They all died on my planet.” His eyes glistened with bubbling tears, although none came out.

“They did? I’m…really sorry. Really, really sorry. I hope you’re doing better now, though.” 

“It’s okay. I cannot change the past now. But I do tend to miss my home sometimes.”

“So…” Toyohiro had no clue how to comfort him, but he tried, “You really are an alien, right? Like, 100%? Totally?”

“Correct. I am a full alien.” ‘This was a nice distraction from his past,’ Mikitaka thought. 

“I’ve never met an alien before. I mean, until you, but I like you—uh, as a friend?”  **No.**

“Uh, a friend?” He felt as if a small arrow shot into his chest but brushed it off. “I mean–correct. That makes sense.” An idea struck him; he sat up, eyes wide. “Would you like proof I am an alien?”

“I already believed you, but sure; go ahead.” Mikitaka got up from the blanket pile and stood in the center of the room. “Okay, now name an object. Most objects would do.”

“Most objects?” 

“Well, no large machines or explosives. Anything else will suffice.” 

“Okay,” he looked around the room, “How about a blanket?” 

“That works. I can do that.” Mikitaka closed his eyes to envision a blanket, as blue sashes emerged from his skin. When they stopped, only a green blanket lay on the floor. 

“Tada!” the blanket said. 

“Woah…that’s insane.” 

“It is, I guess, by your human standards.” Slowly, he morphed back into his normal form and laid back down in the blanket pile, “I find it to be quite useful.”

“But, uh. Those blue things. What are they?” 

“It just...appears. There is no real way to explain. Apologies if my answer is unsatisfactory.”

“It’s alright. I can’t really do anything cool myself.” Mikitaka looked him in the eyes and put his arm onto the other being. 

“I think you are pretty ‘cool’ as you phrase it.” 

“Aww…wait—really?” The alien responded with a slight nod.

“Correct. Why would I lie?”

“I…I’m not sure. I’m not used to being complimented before. Especially from someone like you.” 

“Well, I think you should be. And I have no recollection of there being anyone like me. As far as I am aware, there is only one of me.”

“No, no, that’s not what I mean. Like, you’re this extraordinary alien who’s got really cool powers and a real sweetheart, and I’m just some guy with issues socializing and too many thoughts from isolating myself for so long. Do you see the difference there?” 

“I don’t believe my heart would taste sweet, but thoughts are not a bad thing. And you are a good guy, from what I can tell so far. You did not steal from my housing area, despite me being gone all day, you have not reported me to any organizations who would wish to harvest me–as Josuke has warned me–and you have not tried to inflict harm onto my being.” 

“ _ That’ssssss _ less of being a good person and more of being the bare minimum of a decent person.”

“Well, I cannot say everyone I have met has been so kind. So, I truly believe you are a good person.” Mikitaka remembered all the people he had run into with Josuke and Okuyasu. The amount of dangerous individuals he has met that have attempted to kill him is definitely on the higher end. 

“Oh…thank…you?” 

“No, thank you for not attempting to end my existence!”

“That’s just common decency man.”

“It is?” His face perked up in shock, “From those in your species I have met, they really enjoy starting violence.”

“They do, but most of them are just dumb assholes. Don’t even bother with them.”

“How can I? If I can, I would like to.”

“It’s either they’re bored, insecure, want money, or something illegal. Just ignore them. I think.” 

“Hm. What if they have an invisible being that my other friends can see that can harm me physically?” 

“What? I’m sure they can take care of it? ”

“What if they are not present?” 

“I don’t know, then.” 

“Hm. Okay!” Mikitaka slowly sank further into the blanket pile. “Man, it is comfy in this sleeping area.”

Toyohiro, as inconspicuously and secretly as humanly possible, inched closer to Mikitaka and put his hand over the other’s. 

“Are you tired?” 

“Hm? Not exactly.” Face burning with a deep scarlet encasing his face, he lightly held Mikitaka’s hand. It was cool and soft to the touch (what if his lips felt the same way?). 

“Ah. Then again, you said you awoke sometime late in the afternoon.” Toyohiro felt Mikitaka tightening his grasp on his hand. It was gentle, yet affirming at the same time.

“You’re right about that. But, I’ve also learned how to sleep with my eyes open. It really,  _ reallllyy _ , sucks.” He tightened his grip a little more as well. He had no experience with physical contact, but he was doing his best. 

“Oh. Why do you do it then?” Slowly, Mikitaka inched closer and placed his other hand on Toyohiro’s chest. 

“It wasn’t like I had a choice,” it was getting harder for him to speak, with his voice shaking as he was overtaken by the sensation of physical contact. He had an idea. Would it work? Maybe not.

“Oh. Well, now you don’t have to anymore.” As he inched closer, he rested his head on Toyohiro’s shoulder and closed his eyes. “You can sleep normally, alright?” 

Oh god. Holy shit. They were cuddling. Toyohiro lay his free arm onto Mikitaka’s back. Sure, the position wasn’t what he had in mind, but the feeling it gave him sent his heart racing. Not knowing just how to respond, he whispered, “You’re warm.” 

“Yes. It is very warm in the blankets. It does not help that we are sharing body heat at this moment. Not that I mind. It is very comfy.” He whispered back.  **Fuck.**

Toyohiro tried to tighten his grip once more, but he found himself stuck. Again. “Yeah…it is.”

“I have noticed that your heart is beating at a very fast rate. Is this normal?”

“Hm? Uh…maybe? No? Is it? Dammit…” 

“I was unsure, so I wanted to check…” Slowly, Mikitaka grazed the arm from Toyohiro’s back onto his chest, where Toyohiro could feel a very fast heart rate as well. 

“Your…uh…heart? It’s also beating real fast…” Was this confirmation? He hoped so.

“Yes. That’s why I was wondering if this was normal for humans...”

“It’s normal for you then? Oh…great…” a tinge of defeat left his voice. He noticed it was getting a little harder to speak as he couldn’t move, but he wished to stay like that.

“No, it is not normal. Not that I am aware. Our heart rates normally remain at the same rate as the average human. This is...new to me.”

Toyohiro was completely stunned, yet relieved. “It’s new? Well…um…it’s for me, too.”

“Then, I guess...we will have to figure it out, together.” 

“Together?!” He got too excited too soon. 

“Yes. I am not sure with who else I would. I mean, I do not find it to be a bad feeling. Just...new.” 

“Yeah, you have a point.” Toyohiro’s heart beat faster.  _ Uh oh. _

“Do...do you mind if I…” Slowly, Mikitaka slowly placed his head by Toyohiro’s heart. “Is this okay?” 

“I don’t mind. At all. It’s okay. Great, actually.” He couldn’t think straight. 

“Ah, okay…” He felt his heart beat faster and sat in silence for a second. “If I could sleep, I probably would at this moment.” 

“Same here…actually. Funny, right?” Goddammit, he realized he couldn't move his eyelids either. 

“But...you can sleep?” 

“…Um…ahaha…”

“Is something the matter?” 

“I…uh…haha. Can’t move?” 

“Oh.” That was all he said for a second. “Is there anything I can do to help?” His voice sounded rather calm, despite him panicking on the inside. 

“What did you do last time? I think that worked.”

“I shook you with incredible force, if I remember correctly. Do you believe that would work again?” 

“Probably.” 

“Ah. Okay. I will try it.” Without trying to let go of him, Mikitaka began to lightly shake him. After a few seconds, it seemed to work, and Toyohiro, now free, hugged Mikitaka lightly.

“Wow. It worked.  _ And I jusstt so happened to land in your arms. _ ”  _ Sure, man.  _ **_Sureeee._ **

“Ah. Well, that is a good thing, I believe.” Mikitaka embraced him as well. 

“I’m pretty sure it is.” At this point, they were closer together than he would’ve ever imagined. And, without thinking, he burrowed his head into Mikitaka’s chest.

“Oh…” slowly, he placed his head over Toyohiro’s. He felt...safe. Yes, that was it. Safe. Toyohiro fell asleep soon after, still embracing Mikitaka. Mikitaka went into a sleep-like state himself, and like that, they stayed for quite a while. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> stream view monster (please)


	7. What If We Slept Together In The Blanket Pile? Haha jk…Unless?

For a while, neither of them stirred, causing an uncomfortable silence. All that could be heard was steady breathing from the two of them. Rustling could be heard from outside before Okuyasu swung the door wide open. No one knew how he got a key, as Mikitaka never gave him one. Nor did anyone else. He looked around the room and saw no signs of life. ‘Ah, he must’ve gotten tired and went to his room!’ Okuyasu thought. He seemed to forget Mikitaka did not need to sleep. Carefully, he tiptoed his way into the room, then said in a loud, booming yell:

“Yo, Miki bro! How was your date?!” Startled, Mikitaka woke up in a fright, brushing his messy hair off his face. Okuyasu had yet to realize the other man in the blanket pile. 

“Oh, salutations Okuyasu. May I ask how you entered my living space?”

“I have a key,” was the only explanation Okuyasu gave.  **Okuyasu please how in the actual hell did you get a key.**

“Alright, then..." Mikitaka had a sudden feeling of fear, before remembering Okyasu would never try and hurt him. He hoped. “The date went well, as far as I believe. I am not quite sure…” 

“Good, good! I got worried when you didn’t call, so I came to check in on you! So, when will I get to meet this strange mystery man?” 

“Ah! He’s right here. Although, he is asleep currently, so I am unsure when you will be able to be introduced.”

“Oh.  _ Oh.  _ **Oh.** ” Okuyasu began to put things together and was wondering what Mikitaka was doing so close to this individual. “Well, glad to know you’re doing okay!. I’ll...be heading out now.”

“Have a good darkness period, Okuyasu.” Suddenly, as Okuyasu was leaving, Mikitaka remembered ‘the question’ he had for Okuyasu. “Oh, Okuyasu. I have a question for you.” 

“Yeah, bro? What’s up?”

“Toyohiro told me you humans have a saying that involves shoe size. What is it? I’m curious.” Okuyasu’s face went pale and he stopped walking. He knew what he was referring to, and had even made similar jokes and jabs in the past. But how would you explain it to an alien?!

“Uh, it’s nothing bro! Don’t worry ’bout it.”

“Understood, thank you Okuyasu.” 

“No probs! See ya!” and he left the apartment in a haste. Once the door was locked, he wiped his brow. That was a close one.  **A little** **_too_ ** **close.**

~

Mikitaka waited until Toyohiro began to stir, unsure what exactly to do while he slept. He only wanted to stare at Toyohiro, as he took notice of the small details on his mask and observed his behavior. He wondered what his actual face was like and why he’d need a mask to cover it. He realized at that moment that no matter what he looked like, that wouldn’t change anything. He wanted to take a peek, but also didn’t want to disturb the man. He figured when the time came, Toyohiro would show him. There was so little he knew about this man, yet he seemed to trust him. He wondered what else there was to know about him. He knew being in an arcade machine for three years was probably painful, and lonely. He couldn’t even begin to imagine it. Being lonely for that long. He just wanted to keep Toyohiro company while he could. Slowly, he pressed his lips onto Toyohiro’s forehead. He was unsure why, but it seemed right for the moment being. And there, he just laid for another couple hours. 

Toyohiro slowly began to wake up: “Ugh…how long were we out for? Oh, you’re awake.” Mikitaka pulled his head back slightly.

“Yes, I am awake, although I am unaware of the current hour.”

“Me neither.” He gripped Mikitaka tighter. 

“Hm. I would say it’s in the later hours of the darkness period.” 

“Darkness period?” Toyohiro giggled a bit. “You mean nighttime?” 

“Ah...y-yes, nighttime.” His face glowed a translucent green. Quietly, he muttered, “You have a cute laugh.”

“Cute!? You think it’s cute?” It sounded more like two bricks smashing together than a regular laugh, or like a knife against a chalkboard

“I like it. Is that a problem?” 

“No. I just—” he felt his face burn up. “Cute. Um. Thanks.” 

“Why are you thanking me?” 

“You do know what cute means right? It’s usually not for, you know, guys you just met.”

“Well, I do know what it means, and I believe it is a fitting word.” He inched closer to him, hugging him even tighter. He locked eyes with Toyohiro, and without thinking whispered, “You’re cute.” The words just slipped from his mouth. 

“I…” he held onto Mikitaka even closer now, making direct contact with him. “I think you’re really cute too! Like, really, really,  _ reaallllyyy  _ cute!” Underneath his mask, he was a blushy mess.

“O-oh.” Unlike Toyohiro, the blush on his face was apparent and very, very dark. “Thank...you?” 

“And that was just the beginning! Where do I even begin? Your hair, your eyes, your mannerisms, (your lips), the way you speak, the way you just  **are** , you; I. I like you a lot.” 

“Wow...I...I’m not sure how to respond...I like you too. I cannot say what you actually look like, but I do not believe it would matter.” 

“By like you mean…er…romantically, right?” He was beginning to doubt what he had just said. Maybe this was a terrible idea.

“Ro...mantic? I am unfamiliar with the word, so I cannot say for certain.”

“Oh.” 

“What does it mean?” He looked curious more than anything. Eager to learn, with those huge pupils. 

“Uh…um…it’s like. Let’s see…it’s like the feeling you get from seeing that one person and they make you all blushy, warm, sweaty, and a mess. But you want to spend your life with this person. You two both make each other happy to be around. That’s the relationship you two would share. Super intimate. Lots of touching and shit. You get it now?” 

“Yes, I believe I do,” he said with a small nod in understanding. 

“Well, for example. God, this is gonna sound weird. Whenever I’m around you…I…oh God…my heart’s a mess, my head’s a mess, I’m a mess, but not in a bad way. I want to stay with you for as long as we have on this bitch of an Earth.” 

“Well then...I think we are in agreement. Your definition seems to fit my feelings, whatever they may be. I think we feel the same way.” 

“We do?!” 

“I believe so, yes…”

“Wow. I never expected this.” Toyohiro’s heart rate kept getting faster and faster. At this point, it was almost at the same pace as a high-speed jet. 

“And why not? I do not see why It would be impossible, or even improbable.”

“Too many reasons, honestly. But I think it’s best if I say nothing.” He made direct eye contact once again with Mikitaka. Apparently, just like humans, his pupils were also larger than usual. It was almost as if he saw a whole galaxy just stuck in them.

“Oh. Well, alright then. If you wish to say nothing, then there is not much I can do.” 

After that, Toyohiro said nothing. He just lay there, looking at Mikitaka. Mikitaka joined him, looking him in the eyes. He was unsure as to what to say. Then, he remembered a phrase Josuke told Okuyasu one time. When he asked Josuke what it was, he explained it was a ‘pick-up line,’ or something you say to someone you like. Maybe, just maybe, Toyohiro would like it. 

“Toyohiro, I have a question for you.” 

“Hm?”

“Um...That’s a nice shirt. Do you mind if...I take you out of it?” Despite the comment, he still had a straight face, like he didn’t fully comprehend what he had just stated.

“Huh?!” Toyohiro felt like he was going to die. Just die right there. He couldn’t have been serious.  **Unless…**

“What? You seem startled. Did I do something wrong?” 

“Do—do you know what that means or are you serious? I mean,  _ nothing’s wrong with the latter, _ but still!”

“Um, actually, I was told it was a phrase you told someone you like. I am unsure exactly what it means. I’m imagining it is some slang phase I am not understanding.” 

“Yeah…that makes more sense if that’s the case.”

“Well, what does it mean?” 

“It means you want to take off my shirt for…sexual purpose? It doesn’t have to be like that though! I think.” 

“Oh!” Mikitaka’s face grew violently green, burrowing his head down in embarrassment. “Apologies. I was unaware that was the meaning...” 

“You don’t have to apologize…uhm…” he paused. “Babe…?”  **Why are we still here? Just to suffer?**

“Babe…” He whispered the word to himself, with a small smile and a glisten in his eyes, “I like it.”

“You do?” 

“Yeah...I do...babe.” 

“Um. Wow. I.” He couldn’t find the words to say; his mind was a total mess. And, for once, his face was so deeply red it bled through his mask. 

“Are you okay? Your face–or mask–seems to be pink.” 

“Is it?!”

“Yes. Are you alright?”

“Yes? Yes! I’m  _ fineeee _ .” 

“You do not seem certain.” 

“I’m totally certain.” He was not.

“Well, alright then.” Mikitaka was sure something was wrong but did not want to push or make him upset. They remained like this for a few more minutes. The silence grew heavy, which Mikitaka didn’t like. So, he posed a question. 

“So, what exactly does romance entail?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well, what do those who are life companions do? The only knowledge I have is from my friends, and it is minimal.”

“I’m…not sure? They just sorta…happen. There’s lots of touching. I know that.” 

“Hmm, intriguing. Is there anything else?”

“Again, I don’t really know how to explain it. I’ve never done this before.” 

“So both of us are learning?” 

“I suppose.” 

“Interesting. So, I suppose we will learn together then?”

“Yeah,” he mumbled, digging his face into Mikitaka’s chest. 

“...Okay, that is a satisfactory answer to my question.”

“Has anyone told you how warm you are? Your skin’s also really soft.” It was a weird and out-of-the-place question, but Toyohiro was curious. 

“No, I cannot say they have. Although you are rather warm yourself.” 

“Thanks. It’s the pent up heat from the past several years of utter brain-melting isolation,” he joked. Mikitaka just hugged him even tighter.

“...I bet it was very lonely for those three years.”

“It was.”

“I’m sorry. I am unsure if anything I can do will help with that.”

“You already are. Don’t worry.” There was a hint of joy bleeding into his voice.

“I am glad.” 

“Me too.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> your mom suck me real good thru deez jorts


	8. The Dumbass <<Appears>>

~

It was the day_or so morning_after. Toyohiro spent the hours after waking up exploring Mikitaka’s apartment while he was off at work and it left him with only more questions. Even though they had just met a not so long ago, they somehow became involved in a totally romantic relationship with each other. The only issue being that neither had relationship experience and both were incredibly unusual individuals. He still wasn’t able to muster up the courage to show Mikitaka his face or completely confess his feelings towards him. Did he truly reciprocate those feelings back or was it some weird alien psychology? There was still so much Toyohiro had to learn about Mikitaka and vise versa. Words couldn’t describe how Mikitaka made him feel. His presence alone made him ecstatic—was this normal? He hadn’t felt that way towards anyone ever. Not at all.

As he was reorganizing the mess that was the blanket pile, he heard the entrance door sway wide open. He remained in the bedroom. 

“So, as I was saying, absolutely _covered_ in barbecue sauce! Like, head to toe! And that’s where the chicken nuggets came in! Koichi just...used Rohan as a human barbecue sauce fondue! I swear, I think Akira wanted to kill him for using all their Tyson Dinosaur nuggets! They got them from America, y’know? Shit’s gonna run out too soon! And THAT’S why you NEVER walk in on Rohan while he’s getting ideas for his manga with Koichi, especially, and I _mean_ especially, when Yukako’s outta town!”

“Noted. I will knock before I enter his abode. I am still concerned about how you got his key, as well as mine.” 

“It’s a family secret—the Nijimura family secret!” Instead of solely Mikitaka entering, another person entered along with him. **This did not help ease Toyohiro’s concerns.** His voice was incredibly gravely and rough, like sandpaper on glass. Who was this guy? And who was covered in barbecue sauce? **Why?**

“Alright. Then I shall not ask further.” A slight clunking noise could be heard as Mikitaka placed something on the counter. Then, he called out, “Toyohiro, I have returned with a friend of mine.”

Toyohiro walked to the living room to to greet the two. Mikitaka, wearing his work attire, and a guy with a large X-scar on his face, _not_ wearing any work attire. This was awkward.

“Toyohiro, this is Okuyasu. He ran into me at the store, and he walked with me home. He wanted to meet you while you were awake.” The man made his way to Toyohiro and extended a hand. Toyohiro shook it firmly. Okuyasu had a rather firm grasp himself. He seemed like a good person. Okuyasu then took him into a bear hug with a pat on the back before letting go.

“Name’s Okuyasu Nijimura! Nice to meet you up and about this time!”

“You’ve seen me sleep? _What the fuck?_ ” Scratch that. Maybe he’s not that good a person.

“Sorry, bro! That probably sounds real’ fuckin’ creepy! I came over to check on Miki man here yesterday, and you were asleep! Seemed pretty comfortable too! Didn’t wanna bother you, so now I actually get to meet you, bro!” Okay, now scratch that again. 

“Ah…um…nice to meet you too. And I guess that makes a bit more sense now.” Okuyasu just gave him a shining grin. 

“Sorry for not telling you sooner, Toyohiro,” Mikitaka spoke up, “I guess that would have been a useful piece of information.” 

“It’s alright.” Toyohiro was still visibly unnerved by Okuyasu but knew he meant no harm.

“Hey, Toyohiro, was it? I gotta question for you!” 

“Oh?” 

“Mind takin’ a walk ‘round the area with me? I got some questions I wanna ask, and I know Miki’s gotta take a shower after the cat incident today! What do ya say?” 

“Sure! I don’t see anything wrong with that.” Cat incident?

“Cool beans, bro! Ya’ don’t mind now, do ya’ Miki?” Mikitaka was carefully taking off his cat hair covered and stained apron. 

“No, not at all Okuyasu. Just return soon. Are you staying for dinner?”

“That sounds great, bro! Thanks, man! I’ll see you soon!” 

“See you later, Miki.” Mikitaka smiled at him. 

“See you later, babe.” He said, before vanishing into his room to take a shower. Toyohiro slipped on his shoes, insides fuzzy from Mikitaka’s comment.

“ **Oh-ho-ho!** Babe already?!” Okuyasu’s eyes widened. 

“Huh?! Whaddya' mean ‘babe already’?!” 

“Miki called ya’ babe!” 

“So?!” Toyohiro opened the door. Okuyasu followed him out.

“So, y’all dating already?” Toyohiro decided not to answer. “Okay, okay, keep your secrets!”

“Secrets?! What?!”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it man! Just go with the flow!”

“You’re literally the most confusing dumbass I’ve ever meant and we’ve been talking for five minutes.” On the other hand, Toyohiro hadn’t met many people, let alone dumbasses. 

“You just gotta open your mind, man! You’ll understand soon enough,” he gave a hearty chuckle, “Sorry bro, I get it. Josuke finds it annoying sometimes too, no sweat! I just don’t think Mikitaka understands though.” 

“I have no clue what you’re saying.”

“Don’t worry about it, bro! What I’m tryin’a say is, you’re not the only one!” They kept walking, “Sorry for taking ya’ away from your boyfriend, I just know he wanted to take a shower after he got pissed on by that cat!” 

“Boyfriend? I never said we were dating.” _Who’s the dumbass now?_

“But he diiiid call ya’ babe! That’s definitely a thing!” Okuyasu gave Toyohiro a shoulder nudge.

“A thing?!” 

“Yeah! But that’s not what I brought you out here to ask about!” 

“Then what’s it that you wanna ask me?” 

“Well, I wanted to get to know the guy my second best bro is dating! So, where’re ya’ from? I haven’t seen ya’ round here, and Morioh is a small town!” 

“I’ve lived in Morioh for basically my whole life. I just never went outside. That’s about it.”

“Hmmm. If you never go outside, then how d’ya meet Mikitaka? And why are ya’ living with him?” 

“Uhhhhhhh.” 

“Well? Time’s a’ tickin’, **_tits ‘a milkin’!_** It’s okay man, no judgment here!” 

“I got myself stuck in an arcade machine for three years?”

“Three years?! Bro, how did you eat?! How did you shit?!” 

“I don’t know man!” 

“Bro! That sounds wacky! How are you not dead?!” 

“I also don’t know! And now I just— _HACK!_ ” Toyohiro coughed up another coin but tried covering his mouth so Okuyasu wouldn’t notice. However, he saw a bit of nickel glisten. 

“Bro, what’s that?!”

“It’s nothing. Nothing at all!” He hid the coin in his pocket.

“Well, okay! But that’s pretty wack, man. I thought I saw something metal in your mouth. Ya got metal teeth or somethin’?” Okuyasu may have been a dumbass, but he wasn’t an idiot. Just what was up with this guy?

“That’s weird. I don’t have anything metal on me.”

“Huh! Maybe just the light, bro…” Okuyasu kept looking at the strange new man. ‘Yeah, definitely something weird with him.’

“It’s probably the light. Speaking of which, is it always this bright?”

“Bro, it’s 2:30! It’s not thaaat bright!”

“Damn, it’s just me then?” Toyohiro rubbed his eyes.

“...Is your brain working?” He knocked gently on Toyohiro’s forehead, “Hello? ‘Anyone in there?”

“What the fuck are you doing?! My brain’s working just fine, thank you very much!”

“Just checking, bro! I wasn’t sure!”

“How??”

“Eh, mine clocks out sometimes!” 

“Frankly I’m not surprised.”

“It surprises–” Okuyasu wrapped his arm around Toyohiro and waved his hand in the air as he continued in a voice of total sarcasm, “–no one! Anyway, I just have one more question for ya!”

“Yeah?”

“It should be an easy one!” Okuyasu stopped walking, and stood up straighter, adding to his overall intimidation factor. “Ya’ love Mikitaka, yeah? Not gonna hurt him at all, right?” 

“Hurt him? Why would I hurt him?” Toyohiro’s pupils widened a bit after hearing Mikitaka’s name.

“Just makin’ sure! Overall, ya’ seem like a nice guy! It would be a shame to hurt ya’!” His face changed from friendly to on guard. “Don’t get me wrong! It’s just ya’ got really close to him really fast!” Toyohiro stopped in his tracks for a little, shaking. This Okuyasu guy was pretty scary now that he thought about it.

“I…um…” What could he say? What was there to say? How could he explain the reason why they got so close in the first place?

“So, what’s ‘yer answer? You’re not gonna try and hurt him, bro, right?”

“No. Not at all.” He was dead serious, compared to his usual more riled up way of speaking. 

“Good, good!” His demeanor relaxed, and a smile suddenly plastered across his face. He placed his arm in a friendly manner over Toyohiro’s shoulder. “‘Ya seem like a good dude. I trust Miki’s judgment.” 

“I trust him too. He’s a good person—or, um, alien?” 

“Ah, he told ya’ about the whole alien thing? I’ve told him he should keep that on the DL.” 

“I guess he just trusts me. It’s one of the first things he told me after I finally broke free from out of that cabinet.” 

“Haha, yeah! That’s Miki! Trusts everyone, even people he just meets on the streets! I still don’t know how you ended up in that machine.” 

“I used to do commissions ‘n shit. So while working on this one, I tried taking a closer look at the interior and the motherfucker grew claws out of nowhere and trapped me. I still have zero clue how that happened.” 

“Whoah, Woah, Woah, back up a second! It grew claws?!”

“I think? They looked more like teeth now that I think about it.” 

“Bro, that’s so creepy! Gives me the heebie-jeebies just thinkin’ ‘bout it!” 

“Imagine having your ass stuck there constantly without being able to move. Yeah, creepy is a _biiit_ of an understatement.” Okuyasu rubbed his chin and began to mutter.

“Hmmm. But what you describe sounds like…no, it couldn’t be...”

“What?”

“Oh nothin’! Don’t worry ‘bout it!” 

“Alright then.” He was worried about it.

“Well, I asked you all my questions. You have any for me?” He began heading back towards the apartment. Toyohiro followed shortly behind, with the coin falling out of his pocket and rattling on the ground.

“I don’t think so.” He tried to ignore the coin. Okuyasu did notice. However, he didn’t want to draw too much attention to it. 

“Aw, come on! There’s gotta be at least one thing ya’ wanna know, bro!” As to not make it obvious, he used Za Hando to grab the coin. ‘He can’t see it, so this should be fine!’ Okuyasu thought. Toyohiro eyed the stand and its movements. Just what was that thing? 

“Actually…I think I might.” 

“Oh yeah, bro? What is it?” Za Hando slid the coin into Okuyasu’s pocket, then disappeared in what seemed to be in an instant. Toyohiro pointed to Okuyasu’s pocket. 

“There. I saw something.” 

“Eh? What?! Where?!” Okuyasu tried his best to fake confusion as he looked around. It was not very effective. “What did ya see? I don’t see nothin’!” 

“Some sorta…blue ghost with money symbols on it?” He looked back at Okuyasu, whose outfit had several currency-based pins secured on it. “Were these those ‘stands’ Mikitaka was talking about?” 

“So you’re a stand user too?” 

“I am?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tits a milkin is the funniest shit ever written i cant stop crying adfknweigh


	9. Oh God It's Actually Happening

For the rest of the walk, Okuyasu tried his best to explain stands and how they worked— essentially, they were the physical embodiment of your fighting spirit. 

“It’s ‘yer soul’s persona, if ‘ya will! And all of them do super cool things. Josuke’s got a pretty cool one! Lotsa’ people say I’m too stupid for mine,” he huffed. “At least mine it’s a stupid little lizard baby man. Like why does it need a little fucking tail? It looks like a five-year-old!” He began rambling. 

“Ohhhh! So mine hates me! I see, now.” 

“Eh, I wouldn’t say that! Maybe it just wanted you to be there, forever! As a friend!” 

“That sounds fucking t— _ HACK! _ ” He coughed up another coin, but this time was unable to hide it. It fell to the ground, rattling as it did. “Goddammit, not again,” he muttered. Okuyasu stared at him dead in the eyes with what can only be described as a face of pure and utter confusion. 

“Bro, what in the absolute snick snacking, tick tacking, frick fracking, everloving fuck was that?!” 

“It just happens! I’ve got coins in my lungs! How am I still alive?! I dunno!” Okuyasu thought for a second, then glinted in his eye as he thought of something. 

“That sounds like the name to a band! Coins in my lungs! Nice ring to it, don't cha’ think?”

“ _ Surrree. _ ” Toyohiro rolled his eyes.

“Hey, tell ya’ what. Why don’t we skip the walk and take a shorter route?” 

“How? With your stand or whatever?” 

“Yeah, bro! Just trust me! I haven’t done it with two people before, and it might kill us, but just trust me!”

“I’m not so sure about that.”

“Awww, why not?” Okuyasu pouted.

“We literally just met.”

“So? Same thing with you and Miki bro!”

“Fuck…you’ve got a point. You’re right.” Toyohiro hesitated for a moment or so. “Fine, I’ll go with you.”

“Yes, I halfway promise you won’t regret this! Think of it as an adventure, with the slight possibility of being tossed into the void!” 

“ **That’s fucking terrifying.** ”

“No, it’s not! You just need to put yer’ trust in me! And away we go!” Okuyasu grabbed onto Toyohiro’s side and pulled out Za Hando. Using his ability, he caused the space to disappear in front of them by creating a scraping motion with his hand, allowing them to seemingly teleport. “Whoo! Let’s go, Za Hando!” 

“You gave it  _ a name?! _ ”

“Of course I did man! What else would you do?” 

“Why’re you asking me?!”

“I dunno man! But I do know we’re having fun!” 

“Surrrrree we are!”

“Really?!” 

“I guess?” Okuyasu gave another toothy grin to Toyohiro.

“See! I told ya! And look, we’re almost to the apartment!” 

“Already?!”

“Yeah! Za Hando doesn’t take too long!” Soon after, they arrived at the apartment, and Okuyasu stopped using Za Hando. He grabbed out his mystery key and opened the door. 

“Oi Miki! We’re home!” The smell of frying meat sat heavy in the air. On the couch sat yet another individual, familiar to Okuyasu. They both wore similar pompadours, but his was much more extravagant than Okuyasu’s.

“Jo-bear! You’re here!” He ran over to the man sitting on the couch. 

“Oku!” He embraced Okuyasu in a large bear hug as both of them spun around giggled together like absolute idiots, which in their defense they were. “Don’t tell me you’ve been pranking those kids with Za Hando while you were out! Seriously, dude.” 

“Hey! Those little shits had it coming! And no, I was just meeting Toyohiro!”

“Toyo-who now?” He looked over to the entrance door and saw Toyohiro take off his shoes. “Ahh, I see him now! Hey there!”

“He’s the one I was telling ya’ about! Miki’s boyfriend!”

“Oh, Mikitaka! You didn’t tell me you had a boyfriend!” The other man said. Toyohiro had no clue what to say—these two were almost identical. Mikitaka spoke up: 

“Well, I was planning on telling you soon…” He wasn’t sure what else to say, but it was clear his face was flushed with green. He kept cooking, silently observing the current situation as his ears twitched. 

“Anyways—yo! I’m Josuke Higashikata. You’re Toyohiro, right?”

“Yeah, it’s Toyohiro.”

“I haven’t seen you around before. Where ya’ from?” 

“Long story.” Okuyasu chimed in:

“He’s from here! Just a bit of a shut-in! Eh? Get it?!” Toyohiro was unimpressed. Behind Okuyasu, he could see Za Hando latching onto Josuke. 

“So you’re an introvert?” Josuke positioned his arm in a way so it wouldn’t look odd yet Za Hando could hold onto it.

“Sure…let’s just say that.” Toyohiro eyed the stand, who looked to be less miserable than the last time seeing it.

“He’s a real gamer, let’s say that!” Okuyasu said, winking at Toyohiro. Toyohiro stared at him, dead-eyed. 

“Huh, so how’d you meet Mikitaka?”

“Uh…the arcade?”

“Sweet! Man, one time, Oku and I were able to win at least a gazillion tickets from sheer luck alone! Remember that, bro?”

“Yeah, bro! It was a lot of fun!” He smiled with delight. Za Hando’s mouth also curved a bit, creating a faint smile. They laughed a little more at seemingly nonsense until dinner was ready. It was a simple chicken katsu with fried rice. Mikitaka had no dining table, so they ate on the floor. 

~

“Thanks, Miki bro for dinner! See ya’ soon, okay?”

“I think we gotta feed Stray Cat soon, right? I don’t want him to get real cranky tomorrow,” Josuke added, shaking his head. “Man, that kitty sure gets pissy.” Okuyasu nodded in agreement.

“You could say it’s a pissy pussy!” They both laughed at the godawful joke.

“Yes, we will see you soon. Goodbye Okuyasu. Goodbye Josuke.” 

“See you two.” And with that, they both left to go home. “They’re like carbon copies of each other.” 

“Somewhat. They seem to really care for each other, though. They make good life companions.” Mikitaka added. 

“Your friend Okuyasu’s also pretty cool. A bit stupid, but he’s pretty cool.” Toyohiro rested his head on Mikitaka’s shoulder. Mikitaka simply accepted it, although he never planned to fight it in the first place. 

“Yes. He is a good person. Although, he did not believe I was an alien for quite some time.”

“That must’ve sucked.”

“No. It was just hard for him to accept at first.”

“I see. What about that Josuke guy?”

“Hmm. He was also skeptical. He gave me tissues and I ate them. Very strange first encounter, I might add.” 

“Tissues? You eat tissues?” 

“Ate, and yes. They tasted fine. I realized later they were not for eating.” 

“I would say that’s weird but at this point, I think we’ve both accepted the fact that we’re both super fucking weird.”

“I guess by most standards we would be. Then again, we are not the ones who own a living plant who also happens to be a cat, so I cannot say we are the strangest beings in this town.”

“How do you even get a hold of a living cat plant? Man, there’s been so much that I’ve been missing out on.”

“There’s only one. Josuke and Okuyasu own it.” 

“That’s even weirder, not gonna lie.” 

“They named it Stray Cat. I find it to be a good cat–or plant.” 

“Stray Cat? Hm.”

“Correct.” Mikitaka gave a curt nod. “Ah, Toyohiro. I was meaning to ask. You and Okuyasu seemed to be out for quite some time. What did you discuss?” 

“He just asked me some questions, like where I was from and shit, that was all. Nothing much.”

“Alright. Seems as if he was trying to befriend you. That is a good sign.”

“He also kept asking me if I was planning on hurting you or some BS. I think since we got too close too fast? That’s what he said, anyway. You were with that Josuke guy, right? What’d you guys talk about?”

“O-oh! N-nothing much! Just...friend…things?” His tone was not very convincing, but he was telling the truth—although a very broad truth at that.

“Annnnddd…what sort of friend things were you talking about?” 

“Um, human socialization methods?” 

“I see…” 

“Would you care for me to demonstrate?” 

“Go for it.”

“Okay!” He smiled, “Let me try and replicate what he taught me.” Toyohiro lifted his head; his interest being peaked. Mikitaka closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before opening his eyes, his whole demeanor changing. He placed his hand on his own hip and gained a more relaxed stance. His eyes seemed more focused, staring into Toyohiro’s soul. Toyohiro shuttered in anticipation.

“Yo, punk!” The tone seemed foreign to this man. He pushed his hair back out of his face, and approached the other, “You be looking fine, as I believe the term dictates.” 

“What the fuck did he teach you? Holy shit.” As much as he wanted to laugh, he held it in. Mikitaka’s face began to falter, but he tried his best to keep up the persona.

“Would you care to go for a romantic outing, or whatever?” He looked down towards the ground, “Or whateva’. I don’t care!” 

“Are you sure you don’t care?” He looked back up at Toyohiro, eyes looking at him in a scared, confused look. 

“I...I am unsure!” In an instant, his whole demeanor dropped as his hair sunk and he covered his face, “I am unable to do it!” 

“Hey, don’t worry. I think it was pretty endearing, actually,” Toyohiro giggled. 

“You do not need to lie.” He sighed, “I asked Josuke how to do the romance thing. He demonstrated, and I tried to replicate, but he is...much more confident. I am hopeless.” 

“I think, honestly, you’re much better off doing the ‘romance thing,’” he held up air quotes, “with what you want to do. It’s better off being yourself or some bullshit like that.” 

“Really? But I do not know anything about the romance thing.”

“So? You’re doing your best. Fuck, I don’t know anything about it either.” 

“Josuke has already done the romance thing though. It seems better to learn from him…” Mikitaka looked down. 

“Maybe, next time, if you’re adamant on it, ask him  _ what _ to do, not how. He’s also super confident and literally nothing like you, so asking him for step by step directions is a shit idea.”

“Well, that does seem like a better idea. Then, I will not try the second step he taught me.” He gave a small nod, as if to himself. 

“The  _ what?”  _ This was intriguing. 

“Nevermind now. It would not work.” He took a deep breath and calmed down. 

“Alright then.” Toyohiro, in a terrible attempt, to try and reciprocate what Mikitaka did to him only a day ago, embraced him softly around the other’s waist. He was a few centimeters shorter than Mikitaka, so it became more awkward than romantic. Still, Mikitaka accepted the embrace and placed his head on the other’s shoulder.

“Apologies if I seem more tired than usual. I was unable to get proper energy stimuli today, and I used a majority of my current supply just now.”

“Mind if I—” This was an awful idea. “—help you gain it?”  **Toyohiro what the fuck.**

“Mhm,” Mikitaka mumbled. “I do not mind. Although it may be too late at this present moment.” Toyohiro leaned in slightly, making it so both of their torsos had direct contact with each other. 

“How so?” 

“I gain energy by watching the joy of others. Usually, through work, I get rest, since people are normally cheerful at the pet store. However, today was not considered a good day.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that.” He let his hands drop, now resting at Mikitaka’s hips. 

“It is alright. You are not to blame.” He began to lean into Toyohiro, finding his warm embrace soothing. “Tomorrow will be a better day, I believe.” 

“I hope so too.” He rubbed hands on Mikitaka’s back (he’s trying his best). 

“Mmm. Thank you, Toyohiro.” 

“No problem.” 

“You are very...warm. It feels nice.” He tightened his grasp. “Please do not let go.”

“I wasn’t planning on it.” 

“Ah, okay. That is a good thing.” He nuzzled his neck. Toyohiro’s heart began to race again. He also tightened his grip a little; his hands now on Mikitaka’s love-handle area. 

“Uh. You’re also super warm.”

“So I am. I hope it is not uncomfortable for you.” 

“Same here.” Words then began to just slip from his mouth: “I wanna kiss your neck and hold you tightly and whisper secrets in your ear. If we just stayed here, together, I think that’d be perfect.” He yawned, not 100% conscious of what he just said. Then again, neither was Mikitaka. 

“I am unsure what a ‘kiss’ is, but it sounds lovely. I would not mind staying here with you.” 

“Um…mind if I show you?” 

“Not at all.” 

“I just have to warn you.” He reluctantly let go and turned his back on Mikitaka, slowly adjusting his mask. “Or, it’s much better to apologize in advance.” 

“Apologize for what?” He lifted his head, slightly confused as he normally was when it came to most new things. 

“Um. This?” Toyohiro pulled off the mask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we both have writer's block from trying to write a chapter a night so we won't b able to post daily im sorry


	10. So Turns Out We're More Than Just Friends

Toyohiro threw the mask on the couch and ruffled hair, his hair drooping instead of its usual condition. He took in a deep breath. “Wooh…okay…I’ve never really shown this to anyone before.” 

“Well, thank you for trusting me.” Mikitaka waited patiently but still was in a state of anticipation. 

“Here goes nothing.” He turned to Mikitaka, but not even a split second afterward he buried his face into his hands, cowering. “Okay. Come on.” Mikitaka slowly walked over and placed his hands gently on the other’s wrists, grabbing them.

“It is okay. There is no need to be afraid.” 

“I know. I’ve never done this with anyone before. Just give me a second.” 

“I understand.”Mikitaka let go of his wrists and moved back a couple of centimeters. “Whenever you are ready.” After patiently waiting for a few seconds, Toyohiro pulled down his face with his eyes slammed shut. His face was embellished with a variety of deep and light scars, red marks akin to his body, dried cuts on his lip, and heavy freckles running down his nose and cheeks. Mikitaka looked at his face, his green eyes studying every detail with careful precision. He graced his hand onto Toyohiro’s cheek. 

“It is beautiful.” He said in a whisper. He did not care what anyone would think. Those were his thoughts, and he was going to speak them, “Like a painting. I do not know how else to say it.”

“I know you’ve said some weird as shit things, but that’s gotta be the weirdest.” His eyes remained shut, but his cheeks were highlighted in a deep shade of red. 

“How is my speech weird? I do not find it weird,” he huffed, “I do not believe it is weird this time.” 

“I just. I just don’t like it. That’s all. It’s not all that deep.”

“Well, I like it. It is pretty, scars or none. Those are my thoughts. And you cannot change them.” 

“I guess you’re right.” Toyohiro opened his eyes, facing his attention to the floor. Unlike most, the white scleras human eyes had were pitch black, contrasting with his pupils. It was by far the most embarrassing part about him—so much so that he specially designed his mask to hide the scleras. Mikitaka, slowly moving his hand down, lifted up Toyohiro’s face. His eyes stared in awe at the man in front of him. 

“Yes, I am right.” Toyohiro didn’t respond. Mikitaka decided to instead. “Now, what was this ‘kiss’ you wanted to show me?” 

“Oh! Right!” This helped Toyohiro distract himself. Closing in on Mikitaka, he wrapped his arms gently around his neck and reached in for a kiss, elevating himself slightly by standing on his toes to reach Mikitaka’s height. Slowly yet surely, he kissed Mikitaka on the lips. A rush of pure ecstasy soon filled him. This was it. This was finally it. Mikitaka began to blush a dark green, as his heart began to beat fast. The joy he felt from Toyohiro immediately woke him up from his drowsy state. Toyohiro let go soon after, his face showing nothing but a dark red.

“...Oh. So that is a kiss…” was all Mikitaka managed to muster out.

“Yeah. That was it.” He looked away as he didn’t know what else to do at that moment. “I’m sorry. That was stupid.”

“N-no! It wasn’t! It was...nice. I have never experienced that before.” 

“Neither have I.” 

“Ah…so no one has ever given you a kiss before?” 

“I haven’t dated anyone before you, so no.” 

“Hm. That is a shame.” 

“I know,” he muttered. He looked back at Mikitaka with his dark pupils filling out. Slowly, Mikitaka leaned down and gave him yet another kiss on the lips, pulling him close. He held him there for a minute, before letting go. 

“There. Now you can say someone has kissed you.” It took Toyohiro some time to truly register what just occurred. When he did, though, he ended up as a blushy mess, squeezing Mikitaka drowsily—he had difficulty retaining his strength, but he was able to manage. He sputtered out of thin air:

“God, Mikitaka! I fuckin’ love you!” He said it. He finally said it. Mikitaka’s face was turning an even deeper shade of emerald.

“Y-yeah. I...I love you too.” He held the other carefully, as to make sure he wouldn’t fall. “You seem tired. Do you wish to rest?” Toyohiro nodded, his head dropping in utter exhaustion.

“Only if you’re with me…” He answered in a faint yet drowsy whisper.

“Of course.” Carefully, Mikitaka picked him up, and brought him to the blanket pile, and placed him down as if he were a delicate china doll. Then, he joined him in the blanket mess. 

Toyohiro, before falling dead asleep, mumbled one more “I love you.” 

Mikitaka said it back, before joining him in a mimicked slumber. 

~

A couple of days had passed since then. Still, to Mikitaka, it felt like it was always meant to be. Today he had no work, so he could spend the day with Toyohiro. The only question was: What should he do? 

“Toyohiro. What would you like to spend our leisure time accomplishing today?”

“Dunno. You got any ideas?” 

“Hmm. None that I can think of. Maybe we can take a walk and see if anything we believe would be entertaining.” 

“That sounds good. Besides, I haven’t really explored this town before. Even pre-stand shenanigans wise.” 

“Ah. You have lived in this town your entire existence period, correct?” 

“Yep. But I almost never left home,” he took in a breath, “the outside world fucking spooks me to my core.”

“Hm, that is a fair assumption of the world. It is probably best I do not scare you with the places I have seen.” 

“Well, what’ve you seen?”

“On Earth or in space? Both can be terrifying.” 

“I was referring to Morioh.”

“Hm. I believe Rohan is the most terrifying being I have met, based on what I have heard and witnessed.” He shuddered and continued, “That man is a nightmare. It is hard for me to believe he is one of your kind.” 

“From what I’ve heard, you’re not wrong,” he recounted from their meeting with Josuke and Okyuasu, who told them more stories about the elusive mangaka.

“Indeed. I am somewhat glad he is not a fan of my company, thanks to Josuke.” Mikitaka remembered their gambling adventure before he grabbed his small star-shaped backpack. “Anyway, are you ready to depart?” Toyohiro slipped his jacket (it was actually Mikitaka’s).

“I think I am,” Mikitaka nodded in response, and went over and slipped on his shoes. 

“Maybe we can buy you some clothes unless you wish to continue wearing mine.” 

“I’m fine with either.” He stuck his hands in his pockets. “I like your clothes a lot,” his speech faltered for a moment, “But I like you more.” **What a sappy bastard.**

“I like you too, as I hope you know. And that is fine, you can keep my clothes.” He held out his hand as if saying for Toyohiro to take it without saying a single phrase. Toyohiro clutched his hand carefully. Mikitaka smiled and began to head out the door. 

The park was rather close to the apartment complex and had plenty of shops around. Sure, Morioh was not a large town, but there were definitely a lot of people out tonight. The September weather was starting to get colder as the seasons grew deeper into autumn. The wind picked up a little bit, blowing the brown and orange leaves through the city.

“Very pleasant night tonight, don’t you believe?” Mikitaka said, as his hair blew in the wind like some sort of anime character.  **_Wait._ **

“I’ve never really left my house, so I can’t really say what’s a good or bad night. But honestly? It’s pretty great.”

“Hmm, I agree. Although, you know what makes this night better than most?” Mikitaka asked, looking over at the other as they walked. 

“Uh, what is it?” 

“The fact I get to spend today with you, of course!” 

“Oh!” Despite officially dating for a few days at this point, Toyohiro was still not used to the shower of compliments Mikitaka gave him. He covered his cheeks, burning with a deep ruby underneath his mask, despite it now showing on his ‘face.’ 

“Are you, what was the word…” He looked deep in thought for a couple of seconds, before snapping his fingers and continuing, “Ah, yes! Blushing. Are you perhaps blushing again?” He leaned his head down slightly. “I do not see any need for that reaction at this present moment.” 

“It’s not like I’ve got any control for it; blushing is just a natural thing. Hold on—” his eyes widened, “how did you know?”

“Well, It may be that I am getting to know your reactions better. Or it may be that I see you covering your face, which you normally do when you are embarrassed or flustered. So, I was curious to see if you were blushing.” He gave a small giggle. “Maybe I am starting to understand humans better!” Toyohiro hadn’t noticed his habit of covering his face; instead of playing it off with a lighthearted smile.

“I guess you are. That’s a good thing, right?”

“I believe so! Maybe someday I will be fully integrated with your species! That will be the day!” His eyes glistened with motivation. No matter how long it took, he would learn how to act human! Toyohiro was happy for Mikitaka—seeing him radiant with such positivity almost killed him on the inside. 

“That would be quite the day, huh.”

“Yes. And one I want you there for, okay?” He faltered for a moment. “Promise?” 

“I promise. 100%.” The thought of Mikitaka finally blending into human society did sound a bit far-out, but if it made him happy, it made Toyohiro happy too.

“Good, good!” An even wider smile appeared on his face, then it suddenly dropped into an expressionless look. It seemed unnerving on his face as if it was out of place amongst his other expressions. 

“Hey, Miki. Babe. Is everything okay?” Toyohiro was unfamiliar with Mikitaka’s current expression. Sure, he had a hard time expressing himself, but it never appeared as dreadful as this.

“It is nothing much to fret about. It is just...another Earth year in my personal life cycle is approaching. I am starting to feel...old, I think it’s called.” 

“It’s your birthday soon? That’s great!…right?” 

“Yes. But it reminds me that time is still passing. I know it is not something I can control, so I should not let my thoughts be consumed by it. I just know the progression of time is making me older.” 

“On Earth, anyway, it’s usually a more…um…positive experience for most. But I get you. I feel the same way. My mind’s several years older than my body, which hasn’t physically aged at all.” He squeezed Mikitaka’s hand a bit tighter. “It’s nothing much to worry about. We don’t have to celebrate it if you don’t want to.”

“Hm. I’ve never met a human who’s age varies in actual age and appearance.” He accepted the hand squeeze. “Thank you for your concern. In complete honesty, I do not hate my birthday. Just the fact I become older.” 

“I see.”

“Hm. You have a birthday too, yes? When is it?” 

“Um…yeah…I have a birthday. Hm…let’s see…I know it. Definitely know it.”

“Well? When is it?”

“I got it. August fourth. So…a couple of months back. I turned…well…I turned an age. I know that.”  **_September is a month before October, dumbass._ **

“Ah. So the previous month? If I had known you sooner, maybe we could have celebrated together.” 

“It was only a month ago? I’ve lost track of time.” He kept thinking out loud. “Dammit…how old am I…” He paused in his tracks, not being able to move again. ‘Perfect’ timing. Mikitaka noticed, and stopped walking as well.

“Toyohiro, are you alright?” 

“Yeah.”

“You do not seem alright. What is the problem?” 

“Nothing.” He tried to take a step but was completely unable.

“Did your temporary paralysis occur again?” Mikitaka asked with concern. 

“Nope. Not at all.” 

“Okay. Are you  _ positive? _ ” Mikitaka could sense his lies, although he was unsure how.

“Positive.” 

“Okay. Then should we continue walking?” 

“Sure. Let’s keep going.”

“Okay! Let us go then!” Mikitaka slowly began walking. Toyohiro, in an attempt to walk, ended up flat on the ground.

“Fuck.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is so sappy wengowrngowrgniwrngkrwngv


	11. UH OH

“....You cannot walk, can you?” He looked down at Toyohiro, with a slight hint of worry.

“I’m not answering that.”  **Dumb fuck.** With a long, heavy sigh, Mikitaka picked him up.

“You could have just asked me to carry you. I do not mind. And you would not have ended up on the ground.” 

“I know, I just feel dumb for asking.” 

“You are not dumb for asking. It is better we work together in this relationship, wouldn’t you agree? So, let me help you when you need it.” 

“Alright, alright. If you insist.” 

“I do insist if that’s what it takes. Please, try and not injure yourself as much as possible.” And so, Mikitaka continued walking through the park, carrying him bridal style. Toyohiro, although he knew this was normal for him, couldn’t help but continue to be embarrassed. 

“I’ll try.”

“Are you alright? Do you feel comfortable?” Mkikitaka asked, seeing the expression on the other’s face. 

“In your arms? Yeah.” 

“Good. Is there anywhere else you would like to go for now?” 

“Hm…no. Not really.” 

“Would you like me to bring you home, then?” 

“If you’re fine with it.”

“Of course. We can spend our leisure time there. I do not mind.” 

“ _ Annnndd _ neither do I.” 

“Good. Then I shall begin our journey home.” And with that, Mikitaka began the short walk home to the apartment they shared. Toyohiro was still not able to move, but he did enjoy being in Mikitaka’s arms. It was rather quiet on the way home, with only a couple of slight comments by passersby. When they made it home, he sat Toyohiro down on the couch. 

“Are you still unable to move?” 

“I mean, I am, but…uh…um…” He found it a bit harder to talk, but he managed.

“But what? Is something else the matter?” Toyohiro couldn’t find a response or how to say it. “Well? What is the issue?” Mikitaka had yet to pick up on the fact he could not speak.

“Uh…uh…” he uttered. 

“Toyohiro, you are scaring me,” His eyes glinted with fear, “Is everything okay?” 

“N…no?”

“What is wrong? What can I do to help?” Mikitaka sat beside the couch where Toyohiro sat and held the other’s hand, worried for him. Toyohiro’s hand lay limp on Mikitaka’s. 

“Um…fuck.” 

“What can I do? Is there something I can do.” Panic was building in his face, eyes locked on Toyohiro, and expression of that of a scared puppy. His eyes began to water, although he would not admit it. 

“I’m…ow…stuck?” Toyohiro didn’t sound all that worried, but more like he was on the verge of choking.

“Choking? Oh!” Mikitaka quickly bounced up off the floor. “Choking! Where?!” 

“Uh…throat.” Mikitaka, without thinking, tried his best to push whatever was choking Toyohiro out. First, he tried to pat his back hard. Then, he wrapped his arms around Toyohiro’s waist and pushed down, attempting a maneuver he had seen on human broadcasting channels. Eventually, Toyohiro was able to move and choked out the mystery item—which just so happened to be another coin. “That was it? Ow…” he gasped. Mikitaka let go and turned Toyohiro around. 

“Are you okay?! Can you breathe?!” He looked terrified, eyes searching Toyohiro’s face for any sign of pain or struggle that he currently had. 

“I’m fine! Wooh, I can breathe. Thank God.” 

“Oh thank the stars!” He hugged Toyohiro tightly, “I was scared for you. I thought you were going to pass on to the next world.” Toyohiro felt the back off his hoodie grow wetter. Tears were pouring from Miktaka’s eyes. He reciprocated the gesture; the tears seeped from his hoodie to his skin. It brushed his skin in a short wave of what felt like pure ice. 

“M…Mikitaka.” He held on with a more pronounced grip. “Are you crying? You don’t need to worry all that much.” 

“But...but I don’t want to lose you!” His tears continued to pour out. “Earthlings...you all are much more fragile. You don’t...you all have limited years...I want to spend them all with you!” 

“M-Miki, it’s over now. I’m okay now, see? Sure, we’re fragile as shit, but I don’t think something as stupid as a coin could kill me.” Mikitaka loosened his grasp on the other and looked at him. His eyes were puffy from the tears, small ice particles hanging from his face. However, he was starting to calm down. 

“But...It was close this time. What if I’m at work, and I am unable to help you?” 

“I’m sure this won’t happen again. I promise.” Toyohiro made direct eye contact with Mikitaka, soon focusing on the tears. Ice? 

“I trust you...but how can you be sure?” 

“I’ve been hypothesizing why it’s been happening, and I think I’ve found the reason why.” He let one of his hands go to wipe Mikitaka’s tears with his fingers but found it to be more difficult as they were near freezing.

“O-oh. And your reason?” 

“It’s gonna sound stupid.” 

“I would prefer to know. It will ease my mind.” He looked down at Toyohiro’s hand that was trying to wipe away the tears on his face, confused. 

“I’m almost certain it’s like some sorta reaction to…what’s the word…physical stimulation, I guess? I don’t know why, but maybe it’s because of my extreme and almost constant solitude  _ pluuusssss  _ that whole stand thing.” 

“What kind of physical stimulus?” 

“Uh……” Mikitaka waited patiently for a reply. “L-like…” he looked away in pure and unadulterated shame, “When you touched me? God, that’s fucking dumb.”

“Huh. That does not sound like a good thing. Should...should I avoid making contact with you then?” 

“No! I mean, uh, no. You still can, it’s just sometimes my body decides it wants to stop because my stand is stupid or whatever.” 

“Well, if I avoid contact wouldn’t that stop your paralysis?”

“I’m not exactly sure.”

“Then doesn't that seem like a good idea, for the time being?” 

“I guess so.”

“Then...I guess for now I will try my best to avoid physical contact.” Mikitaka let go of Toyohiro and backed up a little bit. Toyohiro backed up as well, though hesitantly. 

“Damn… This is gonna be awkward.” 

“Indeed…” Mikitaka remained a little...too still.

“Welp, I guess we just have to see if it works or not.”

“Indeed.” He looked at the other, “I do believe this will be difficult.” 

“Then again…” he was lost deep in thought, ignoring both his surroundings and Mikitaka, “It might be something else.”

“Something else?” Mikitaka looked over at the other, head slightly tilted to one side in a curious expression. “What else do you believe could be causing this?” 

“It’s stupid. Like, it’s even stupider than my last theory.”

“Well, I would still like to hear this new idea.” He awaited an answer, eyes gazing at Toyohiro. 

“So…uh…wellll…I’m assuming it might be an overstimulation thing? Like, when I get too excited? I don’t know. Fuck…this is embarrassing.” 

“Oh. So...you cannot get too excited?” 

“Maybe? Or I can, but with consequences?” 

“The consequences of which being paralysis?” 

“Pretty much.” 

“Well...I am unsure of what to do currently.” 

“Neither do I.” 

“So...Shall we sit here? Or move around?” ‘

“Your choice.” Toyohiro slumped down and dropped his eyelids.

“Are you...resting?” Mikitaka looked at Toyohiro with curiosity.

“Hm?” 

“Are you resting? On the seating area?”

“I’m just a bit…what’s the word…worn. That’s about it,” he hesitated.

“I understand, but the seating area is not for sleeping?”

“I’m not…asleep?”

“Then...why are your eyes closed?” Mikitaka had yet to understand the term ‘resting my eyes.’

“They just are. I’m still awake, I’m just not in the mood for all of my senses to figuratively shoot me in the chest.”

“Ah. I believe I understand. Should I let you be alone then?” 

“Nah, you can stay.” He rested his hands on his face.

“Okay! Then I shall stay.” Mikitaka went quiet, still sitting next to the other. He tapped his finger on his leg gently, creating a sort of silent melody. Toyohiro mumbled to himself in what seemed to be incoherent nonsense. Mikitaka giggled slightly, a small smile appearing on his face. “...What did you say?” Mikitaka soon found that Toyohiro wasn’t speaking, but vocalizing the beats to some sort of music. It was repetitive and melodic—much like that found in video games, which soon sounded more synthesized as he continued. Mikitaka began to try and tap along to the tune. He was pretty sure Toyohiro was not fully there, mentally. Toyohiro continued until his head dropped and he almost fell over, finally waking up. 

“Huh?” Mikitaka said nothing, just looking over with a grin on his face. “Did I do anything? I’m pretty sure I was only out for a couple minutes.” 

“Oh, nothing of importance!”

“Are you suuure? You’re usually not smiling this much.” He touched the corners of Mikitaka’s lips with his pointer fingers. “Boop.” Mikitaka jolted back and covered his mouth. 

“Wh-why did you do that?!” He uncovered his mouth, “And yes, I am certain.”

“Wait, did I scare you?! Shit, I’m sorry.” 

“It is alright! Just...unexpected. What...was that ‘boop’ thing?”

“I…don’t know? It just popped into my head, that’s about it.” Mikitaka looked more perplexed, trying to piece things together. Then slowly, he raised his hand towards Toyohiro’s forehead, flicking him gently. 

“Boop.”

“Yeah, like that!” 

“Oh! Did I do a human thing?!” His eyes got wide and glistened. It almost looked like tiny stars was in his irises. 

“I’m pretty sure you just did!”

“Joy of joys!” He clapped enthusiastically. “I am learning!”

“You are! That’s great!”

“Certainly it is!” His smile grew wider. Toyohiro smiled back too. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i dont know what were doing WHY ARE PEOPLE READING THIS


	12. Birthday Shenanigans

~

Mikitaka held on tight to Toyohiro in the blanket pile as the dark hours of the night approached quickly. 

“Toyohiro, I have a question for you.” 

“What is it?”

“Can you...tell me about humans?” 

“Sure, but what specifically? I’m not too good at this type of stuff, but I’ll try my best to answer.” 

“Well, just pieces of information you would like to tell me, or think I should know.” He closed his eyes, letting Toyohiro’s body warmth engulf him. 

“ _ Okayyyy _ …um, first off, human blood takes up around 7% of the body. It’s able to squeeze out about 9 meters. I think so, anyway.”

“Hmm. You seem to have a lot of it. Why do you need so much?” 

“To keep us alive?”

“Ah. Understandable.” Toyohiro’s tone shifted to a much more negative one as he continued to ramble:

“Most people are gullible as shit from what I’ve seen. A lot of people can also get needlessly violent for whatever reason. Lotsa people do dumb shit for attention and attention only,” he continued, but soon stopped himself as he realized he was ranting, “Oh! And heartbeats can sync up to the rhythm of music!”

“Why do members of your species crave attention, even if the only way to obtain it is through violence? I do not understand.” His body weight shifted onto Toyohiro as he moved around the not-very-spacious blanket pile. 

“Human nature. We’re social creatures by default, so with attention, you get more contact and socialize more. But sometimes the brain goes all fucko and then you become socially inept which people seem to hate.” 

“Oh. So why not just ask for socialization? It seems that would be more effective.” 

“That’s…not how it works? I don’t know why. Things just happen because we’ve been doing them for centuries, and no one sees a need to get rid of it. Just culture, I guess. I’m not so sure myself.” 

“Huh. You humans do confuse me greatly. Luckily, I have plenty of time to learn from you all.” 

“You really do…” Toyohiro dozed off soon after, still holding onto Mikitaka. After a minute of silence, he began to once again rhythmically hum the same repetitive tune from before. Mikitaka joined in, starting to enter his trance-like state. However, his vocalizations seemed more like answers rather than a repetition of the same tune. Toyohiro, rendered completely unconscious, didn’t notice whatsoever. Slowly, they both drifted away into pleasant dreams. 

~

Mikitaka awoke to the sound of the alarm, and quite the predicament. During the night, it appeared their positions had shifted, as Toyohiro was now entirely on top of him. He was unsure how exactly he was supposed to get out from under his grasp without waking him. Quite a puzzling matter, at the moment. As carefully as possible, he attempted to slide Toyohiro off, rather than using 「Earth, Wind, and Fire」. He had come to realize many on Earth did not have his same abilities, and It would be useful to learn how to maneuver without them. It was a success! Carefully, he walked towards the closet to grab clothes. He hoped Toyohiro didn’t notice the sudden change in warmth. He didn’t. Quietly, he prepared for the day. He remembered the previous night’s conversation, and how Toyohiro was unable to celebrate his birthday for the last three years. ‘Maybe I should plan a late birthday celebration for him.’ Mikitaka thought. As he grabbed his belongings and headed out the door, he made a call to Okuyasu. He picked up. 

“Ugh, Miki bro, it’s like 7 in the AM, why ya callin’ so fuckin’ early?!”

“Sorry to bother you, but what exactly do you do for someone’s birthday celebration?” Mikitaka inquired.

“Oh bro,” Okuyasu answered, ready to give his input.  **_Oh no._ ** “Get a piece of paper. I got some things about Earth to tell ya.” Mikitaka had no idea what that meant, but he was scared nonetheless.

~

Toyohiro woke up around about half an hour after Mikitaka left. He got up and looked at the calendar: September 21st. If he recalled correctly, that was Mikitaka’s birthday. He threw on his usual clothing and made sure to check the pockets for coins. Over the last few weeks, he’d been slowly saving them up to spend on gifts for Mikitaka, and it seemed like he finally had enough. He scribbled a note down for Mikitaka and left to go outside. Toyohiro wasn’t fully aware of the shops around Morioh, but he managed to find several stores to buy small gifts that he thought Mikitaka would’ve liked—and sure, maybe he did take the random change that lay on the ground instead of coughing it out, but who wouldn’t? After a while, he found the gifts to be a decent amount and sat in the park, attempting to poorly wrap them together with cheap materials and leaves he found on the grass. When he found that it looked presentable— **_it didn’t_ ** —he made his way back to the house and waited outside the door, before taking a deep breath and grabbing the door handle. He found it was unlocked, and with that, he opened the door and held out the gift, exclaiming:

“Surprise!” 

“Surprise!” Mikitaka said at the same time, handing him a fair-sized package, some flowers, and a card. It took both of them a second or two to finally take in what was happening at the moment, and when they did, they found it to be much more awkward.

“Wait…Miki, you got something for me? Why?” 

“Well. I felt bad you were unable to enjoy your last three birthdays, so I wanted to do something special for you! If I may inquire, why did you get me items?” He pointed inquisitively at the package in Toyohiro’s hands.

“It’s your birthday today, right? I wanted to get you something special too!” Being honest, this was more of an excuse to give Mikitaka gifts without him trying to politely decline them. 

“Birthday? Already?!” Mikitaka looked terrified. “Today is the 21st?” Toyohiro nodded. “Oh, stars!” He looked down and gave a sort of bewildered laugh. Under his breath, he muttered, “I cannot believe I am 217 already...” Toyohiro perked up. 217?  **What. Did his ears just break?**

“ _ Uhmmm _ …anyway!” He handed Mikitaka his poorly wrapped gift. “I hope you like it?” 

“Oh, yes!” He handed over his own, sightly-better-wrapped gift. “This is for you! This, and the cards as well as the flowers.” Toyohiro set the gifts down and, with a bit of hesitation, pulled off his mask, hiding it in his pocket. His face remained mostly the same as it did before, other than the vibrant red on his face and his more organized hair, revealed the pointed tips of his ears It wasn’t as obvious as Mikitaka’s, but still noticeable. Mikitaka noticed, and grabbed onto the ears. 

“ _ Pointy... _ ” Was all he whispered a slight hint of awe and fascination. His face began to glow a slight shade of green, and his eyes grew wide. One could see hints of twinkling stars if they looked close enough. 

“Y-yeah…pointy.” Toyohiro sat down and held the gift in his hands. Mikitaka grabbed his and joined him on the couch. Toyohiro eyed the wrapping and tried his best to unwrap it without any breakage, humming the same melody as he did. Mikitaka seemed to answer it in a different language, looking at Toyohiro confused. 

“How do you know that saying?” Mikitaka asked, face having a befuddled look. 

“How did I know what?” Toyohiro stopped humming. 

“That phrase. It is common in my hometown. Although your accent could use some work.”

“I…huh? What?” 

“That phrase!” he repeated the tune, “How do you know it?” 

“I didn’t say anything? I was just humming. When you hear the same ear grating tune every day it gets stuck in your head  _ reaaaall  _ fast. I’ve probably been humming it a lot and just haven’t noticed.” 

“But…” Mikitaka sighed, “Nevermind. It is probably just a coincidence.” He then sat and patiently waited for Toyohiro to open his gift. Toyohiro now sat in uncomfortable silence as he carefully opened the package. Mikitaka looked at him, excitedly awaiting Toyohiro’s reaction. Unearthing the wrapping, Toyohiro looked at the box where the items were stored. He carefully opened it. Inside, there were a couple of items: a pair of new shoes, a rather baggie hoodie, and the spider plushie he got in the arcade machine the night he met Toyohiro. There was also a smaller box, nicely wrapped and tucked into the furthest corner of the larger box. Toyohiro took a peek into the box and back at Mikitaka with his eyes watering almost instantly, but he brushed it off. 

“Aww…thank you.” He picked up the spider plushie and admired its poorly sewed on details. 

“I know it is not much. I was unsure what exactly is customary in these situations.” He awkwardly scratched at the back of his head as the tips of his hair raised upward, “I hope it is not too disappointing.”

“They’re perfect!” Toyohiro giggled. Fucker still sounded like nails being dragged on a chalkboard, what a surprise. 

“Oh, joy! I am glad they are satisfactory!” Toyohiro gently placed the spider back in the box and pulled out the even smaller box, trying to find a way to open it. 

“I rather hope you enjoy that gift! When I asked Okuyasu, he said it's something you give something you are for!” He gave a light chuckle and a warm smile. You could almost feel the optimism radiating from him. Piece by piece, Toyohiro slowly unwrapped the smaller box. It looked like a standard ring box, although it had no label on where it was from. 

“Hm? Wait…” Toyohiro opened the box. Inside, there sat a green ring pop on a stand, with a note scribbled messily in a language he could not understand. “Is…is this a ring pop?” 

“Yes! That is what it is called!” 

“For me?” Toyohiro dragged his finger over the writing.

“Yes, it is for you! I do not know who else it would be for.”

“I…” Toyohiro looked back at the box again, “Really, Miki. Thank you for this.”  **It’s a ring pop, calm down.**

“You’re welcome. Although I am unsure why this Ringed Candy is so important.” Toyohiro pulled out the ring and stuck it on his finger.

“Uh. About the writing. What does it mean exactly?” 

“O-oh!” Mikitaka perked up at the mention of the note, “It was a common saying on my home planet. It is hard to translate exactly.” 

“Whatever you say, then.” Toyohiro put the ring box into the much larger box and eagerly awaited for Mikitaka to open his gift. As he started to open it, you could tell he was deep in thought. 

“Hmm. I guess the best translation would be ‘Will you remain my life companion?’ although it is much more complex than that…” He began to try and take the wrapping paper off, careful not to rip it. 

“Yes? Um, I’m not sure if it’s a question, but if so?” He did want to know what the full translation meant, but this was okay as well.

“It is technically a question. Apologize I cannot give the proper translation.” He opened up the gift fully, revealing the contents inside. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tysm for all the comments 😭😭😭😭😭 ur all so kind we love u guys <3


	13. A Bizzare Outing

Unwrapping the poorly done decoration, he found that the package inside was a dingy box about to tear, and most likely found on the street. Inside of the box—which was already opened—lay a green piercing hooked to a chain for Mikitaka to wear along with his other piercings, a small bag of alien-shaped candies, and a small plush of a mouse; but none compared to the largest item in the box. A medium-sized lamp of a UFO and the moon which would like up in various colors and covered in glitter. Mikitaka looked at the gifts with a sparkle in his eyes, almost on the verge of tears. 

“Oh...I don’t know what to say! Thank you!” He looked back down at all the gifts. “How...how did you get the money for this? These look expensive.” 

“The plush and candies were pretty cheap, and I guess the piercing was too. I’ve saved up a bit for the lamp…and…maybe I bought it with money I found from the ground? Not that much though.” 

“You do not have to spend your money on me, really! But I do appreciate the gifts! Thank you so much!” 

“No, I had to. Really. But I’m glad you liked them.” 

“Why did you have to?” He appeared to be confused, “I do not believe anyone was forcing you.” 

“I’ve been living with you for the past while now, so I thought it was only necessary to give you something in return.”

“You did not have to, but thank you nonetheless.” He set the gifts down carefully and gave Toyohiro a giant hug. “Thank you! They are lovely.” Toyohiro hugged him back and kissed him on the cheek.

“No problem.” Mikitaka’s cheeks radiated green. 

“Can...you help me put on the new piercing?” 

“Already? Uh, sure.”

“Yes. I would like to wear it!” he began to take out his current golden piercing for the first time since he landed here on Earth.

“Oh! Whatever you say then.” Toyohiro took out the green piercing and began to clip it onto Mikitaka’s nose, then to his ear. “It looks great on you. Green’s your color.”

“You really think so?” Toyohiro nodded. 

“Totally. It matches your eyes.”

“And my blood.”

“ **What.** ” Mikitaka gave a smile, then his expression grew wide, remembering something.

“Ah! We need to get ready!” He bolted up. “I almost forgot!”

“Ready for what? Huh?!”

“I am taking you ‘out’ as you humans would say. I need to shower!” and with that, he bolted into the bedroom. Toyohiro remained in his seat and stuck the ring pop in his mouth. Oh. Watermelon. 

~

Toyohiro, still waiting for Mikitaka, decided that now would be a good time to try on the hoodie. He took off the jacket he wore and the shirt until Miktaka ran in with only a towel around his waist. 

“Do you know where I left my gold chain? I want to put it in my jewler–” he stopped mid-sentence, looking at the other. Toyohiro—chest covered in other scars, freckles, and more arcade-marks—looked right back at him.

“Uh.” 

“Uhhh. You seem occupied, I will come back later.” His face was flushed as he turned around back into the bedroom. Toyohiro, still flustered, tried to think nothing of it and put the hoodie on, slipping his mask on as well. A couple of minutes later, Mikitaka came out in a nicer outfit, still wearing the green chain, with a small bag at his side.

“Are you ready to depart?” 

“Yep.” Toyohiro slipped on the new pair of shoes.

“Okay! It is not too far from here, but we must hurry to make our reservation.” 

“W-where are we going, exactly?” 

“Tonio’s Italian Restaurant. It is usually packed for reservations, so if we miss ours I am unsure if we will be able to eat there.” Mikitaka grabbed Toyohiro’s hand as he ushered him out the door, locking it behind the duo. Toyohiro followed right behind him, not entirely sure what was going on. Mikitaka lead the way, partly dragging Toyohiro through the streets until they arrived at Tonio’s. 

“We...made it.” Mikitaka huffed, out of breath from the walk. Toyohiro, still having no clue what was going on, looked at the restaurant. 

“So this is it?” he asked. Mikitaka nodded, before catching his breath. 

“Correct! Now let’s head in, okay? I hope you enjoy it!” Toyohiro nodded. Slowly, Mikitaka walked in, giving the man at the front his name for the reservation. The man then led them to a table to sit down. The rest of the dining area was packed, the people’s chatter filling the whole building with life. Mikitaka listened carefully to the chatter; their joy. 

“Ah, it is very nice in here! Everyone is so happy!” 

“I guess you could say that.” 

“Are you a fan of Italian food?” Mikitaka questioned, as he began to get more comfortable. 

“I can’t say I’ve had much of it. I never really went out to eat before.” Toyohiro sat down and looked around. Some of the other members of the diner were staring at the pair, whispering to one another. 

“Oh, well, then this will be a treat!” A smile crept across his face, full of the purest form of joy. Toyohiro smiles back.

“You sure?”

“I am positive!”

“Are you  _ suuuuure?” _ Toyohiro teased. He stuck his tongue out a bit. Mikitaka giggled at the sight.

“I am sure! Why are you sticking out your tongue?” Toyohiro pulled it back in immediately. 

“I was just playing around, that’s all.”

“Interesting!” Mikitaka said, “So it is a form of playfulness?”

“I…guess so? Yeah!”

“Lovely!”

“I wouldn’t say lovely, but sure.” He coughed up another coin and quickly pocketed it so it wouldn’t be so noticeable. 

“Well, it seems like a rather fun custom!” He tried his best to mimic the action, revealing his green tongue. Toyohiro stared at it; in all this time he still hadn’t noticed that his tongue was green. 

“Wow…uh.” Toyohiro placed his hand on his cheek. He still couldn’t get over it. Mikitaka retracted his tongue. 

“What is the matter?” 

“It’s cute. Nothing’s the matter with that.” Mikitaka’s face grew warm as the blush set in.

“O-oh! Alright! So nothing is the matter?”

“Nope!”

“Glad to hear that!” Soon after that, a man approached them. 

“ _ Bonasera _ , gentlemen. My name is Tonio. I will be your chef, as well as your waiter this evening. Is this your first time here?” The man said. He was dressed in a white apron and hat and looked to be rather well put together. The latter, however, could not be said for the other two sitting at the table. They both nodded their heads. 

“Well, then! I hope you enjoy your dining experience with us! Please relax, I will be out with your drinks momentarily.” And with that, he was gone. 

“He seems like a decent guy,” Toyohiro commented. Mikitaka nodded in agreement. 

“Indeed. I do not believe he is originally from Morioh, though.” 

“I could tell. He looks way too normal.” 

“Are people in Morioh not considered ‘normal’?” He put normal in air quotes.

“Appearance-wise? Just about everyone looks like a drunk delusional artist’s final work of art before he emigrated to a French island and lived the rest of his days in. So weird. Bizarre, even.” 

“ **Bizzare?** ” he said it slowly as if to fully grasp the word. “It seems like a fitting word for this small town.”

“It does.” 

“Yes.” He looked around the room, “Have you ever left this town?” Toyohiro shook his head. 

“Can’t say I have. I’ve barely been around this town, even. Although, I do know my apartment very well; that’s probably not a good thing.” 

“Well, I have not been anywhere on Earth besides this town. So I cannot say I blame you. There are a lot of interesting things to do and people to meet right here!” 

“The people here sure are something alright.”

“Most are nice, at least!” 

“Most.” 

“Exactly! Most!” Soon after he spoke, Tonio appeared with some water in a glass bottle. When he finished pouring, he spoke. 

“Glad to see you are enjoying yourselves,” Tonio said. Toyohiro nodded and held his glass, taking a sip. 

“Woah.” 

“Ah, I see you enjoying the water. It is from the snow of Mount Kilimanjaro, one of the very finest.” Slowly, he reached over and grabbed Toyohiro’s hand, taking note of every detail, followed by Mikitaka. With a curt nod, he spoke again, “Enjoy! I will be out with your dishes soon!” Toyohiro, confused, looked back at Mikitaka. 

“What was that?”

“I am unsure. Is that typical for restaurants?” 

“No,” Toyohiro sipped again, “Huh?” 

“Ah, what is wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, I’m just a bit thrown back. This fucking water. Holy shit.”

“I agree water is good for health reasons, but you seem...odd. Your demeanor has changed.”

“Hm? How? I don’t feel any—” his eyes started watering, before flooding out. Although, the tears weren’t clear as they had a black tinge to it.

“Oh my! Are you...sad? Crying is an indicator of the sad, right?”

“I’m not crying, my eyes won’t stop! Wait…these aren’t tears!”

“Well then, what is happening?”

“My eyes are melting!” After a few seconds, Toyohiro rubbed his eyes, and they seemed to be fine. “What the?!” 

“Eyes? Melting? Pardon?!” Mikitaka was beginning to get worried. 

“They’re fine now?! What?! And,” he rubbed his eyes again, “it’s like all my eye strain’s completely gone! Three years! All gone!” 

“You are worrying me.” was all Mikitaka stuttered out. 

“You’ve gotta try this Miki. Seriously. Trust me.” 

“Alright. Here it goes.” He took a sip and was shocked at how superb the water is. 

“Oh! It is good!” 

“I know!”

“It...it is very good! The best!” Mikitaka closed his eyes, and when he opened them, tiny stars were visible in his irises. “I feel...refreshed!” 

“It’s insane! Literally!” 

“Indeed! How is this possible?” 

“Maybe it’s a stand? I dunno.”

“Hmm, quite possibly…” was all Mikitaka answered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> balls


	14. Wanna go Stargazing?

The meal continued with an appetizer, main course, and dessert, all more delicious than the last. By the end, Tonio’s food was doing its work, and the duo seemed more lively than when they first arrived. 

~ 

After paying the check, the two exited the building and stepped outside. With something catching his eyes, Toyohiro stopped and pointed upwards, commenting:

“You see that?” Using the stars as a guide, he traced a heart up in the sky.

“See what? The stars?” Mikitaka tried to follow along, although he wasn’t quite able to see from Toyohiro’s perspective. “They are rather pretty.” 

“They are. Hey, question–” he paused, “—have you ever seen a star up close? What do they look like? All we have are photos and simulations. Not the real deal.”

“I have, actually. Twice. Both times were a long time ago, and It was from a slight distance as we didn’t want to be burned alive. They look as they appear: dots in the sky. But all stars have different hues up close. One we saw was blue. It was early in its lifespan, and very bright. The other one was red. It was nearing the end of its life and was much, much duller. Both were unique.” Mikitaka looked longingly back up at the sky. “If I still had my ship, I would show you. Alas, it is long gone by now.” He continued to stare at the sky. Part of him wished to be back up there, someday, with others that he used to know. People he knew were long gone by now. Another part of him, on the other hand, wished to stay on Earth. On Earth, he knew he had friends. He had Toyohiro. Toyohiro took note, keeping his focus on Mikitaka’s eyes—the stars that would appear so regularly trembled in their place. He gripped Mikitaka’s arm. 

“I’ve got an idea. How about we go stargazing?” 

“Star...gazing? What is that?”

“It’s just as the name suggests, really. We go somewhere high up in Morioh and we lay back to look at the stars. I used to do it tons when I was a kid—once I even saw a shooting star.” He sighed. “All I remember was wishing on it. That’s all.” 

“You humans…wish on stars?” The man took his eyes off the sky and looked back at Toyohiro. 

“Yeah. Is that a bad thing?” He thought to himself for a moment, trying to remember what he wished for that day.

“No, no! It’s not bad. Just…peculiar.” He tried his best to muster a smile, “What did you wish for, anyway?” 

“Uh…um…” He looked up as if indicating that he remembered it. “It’s stupid. Really, really stupid.” 

“Well, if you don’t want to share your wish, that is understandable.” 

“No, it’s fine. Besides, you did ask for it.” He huffed. “When I was around nine or ten maybe, I saw this massive shooting star in the sky. It glowed in a buncha different colors; it was like nothing I’d seen before. I decided now would be a good time to wish for something. It’d probably work out better than tossing a coin into a fountain or something. So, I looked up…and…fuck…I wished for a friend. I was a real lonely kid  **_(I’m pretty sure it shows.)_ ** But not just any friend. An alien friend. It’s stupid! I know.” He tried to laugh his embarrassment off.

“I wouldn’t say it’s stupid, although maybe a little odd.” He gave a small, yet genuine smile towards the other, seeing the discomfort on Toyohiro’s face, “And I guess, in a way, your wish did come true. Although I would say by now we have exceeded the ‘friend’ bond.” 

“I’d say so too.” He giggled and pecked Mikitaka’s neck. Mikitaka’s face flushed in a glowing fern green. He was rather flustered and tried his best to keep in unnoticeable.

“I…I do think your stargazing idea is wonderful. Do you have an idea of wh…where we might be able to stargaze?” 

“I don’t know if it’s still there, but I’m pretty sure I know a place.” 

“Well, can you show me?” He was unsure what else to say at the moment.

“It’s a bit of a walk, but I think I can show you.” He began to take the lead, trying to guess what the right direction to go would be. 

~

“We made it!” Toyohiro looked around at the once nostalgic site. It was a cape near the end of a body of water that glittered and glistened underneath the somber moonlight. The field wore a sheet of wet grass and with no one else visible: just the two of them. Mikitaka stared at the area with a sort of childlike fascination, eying each detail of the area carefully as to store the image fresh in his mind. 

“Wow! It is…breathtaking, I must say!” He mumbled out, “One of the loveliest areas I’ve seen on Earth so far!”

“Really? I don’t think it’s anything much.” He sat down near the edge of the terrain, letting his legs dangle off the end. Mikitaka joined him, sitting down carefully. 

“Yes. I had yet to travel to this side of Morioh before now. I wish I had chosen to explore earlier.” Once he sat down, he laced his fingers over Toyohiro’s hand, “I’m glad I got to travel up here with you, though.” Toyohiro looked up at the sky and relaxed himself a bit. 

“Me too.” Quickly, he lost focus on the outside world and only took in the night sky. The way the dark hues of indigo draped over the sky and bedazzled with small glaring lights, like a ball gown made of the finest, yet delicate, silks. Mikitaka looked up at the sky yet again, the same feeling of longing overtaking him. 

“You were right. The star viewing is much more pleasant from here.” He continued to stare into the sky, “It is strange to look at them from this view.” 

“How so?” 

“Well…your planet only has one moon, for starters. And the way your stars look vary slightly from those on my home planet. Just, small details like those.” 

“I get you.”  **He didn’t.**

“Mhm.” He closed his eyes slightly as if to think. Slowly, he moved his hand from Toyohiro’s hand over towards the other’s side, pulling him in closer and resting his head on Toyohiro’s shoulder. “Thank you for taking me out here to stargaze,” He opened his eyes carefully, “It means a lot to me.” 

“I’m glad it makes you happy,” he murmured. He stared into the sky and loosely traced different shapes with his finger, slowly vocalizing the same tune as he did so. 

“Indeed it does. Although, I think it makes me more happy I get to experience it with you.” He said as he carefully pecked Toyohiro on the cheek, “It makes it more special, I believe.” Toyohiro froze.  **Fuck.**

“Do you think that? Like, really?” It soon became obvious that he was blushing yet again but there was nothing much he could do about it. 

“Yes. It makes me feel less alone…” Mikitaka had yet to realize the other was frozen in place, gently resting his head on Toyohiro’s shoulder.

“Same here, I guess. I’ve…never been this close to anyone before,” he murmured. 

“Psychically? I’m pretty sure we have been closer than this before. Although we are…rather close…” 

“I wasn’t talking about psychically, but yeah…we’re pretty close. Real close.”

“Oh…I remember you told me you have never had a bond like ours before. Neither have I, so I hope I am reciprocating my feelings well.” He looked up in silence for a while, long hair flowing onto Toyohiro and acting as a sort of weird blanket, “If you wish, I can move a little further away, if you are uncomfortable.” 

“No! Uh…sorry…I like it a lot, actually. Um…I hope I’m also expressing myself well.” 

“Alright...I’ll stay. And you are fine. As I continue to learn your Earth customs, I believe communication will become easier.” He slowly began to nuzzle more into Toyohiro’s neck, hair growing warmer with their combined body heat. In a sort of awkward mumbling, Mikitaka stated, “Has anyone ever told you your shoulders are quite comfortable?” 

“They arrrree?! Huh?!” Toyohiro blurted out. 

“Yes, they are…” 

“I…um…don’t know how to respond to  _ thaaat. _ ” His heart began to pace rapidly.

“Ah, sorry!” Mikitaka raised his head a little bit, “Is that not a common comment here on Earth? Did I say something offensive? If I did, I apologize!” 

“It’s not a bad thing, don’t worry! It’s just uncommon, I suppose.” 

“Oh! Alright…” He placed his head back down, “I understand now.” And with that, he sat in silence for a little while longer, a look of yearning in his eyes as he looked above. Toyohiro looked up and stared as well, with the silence between them slowly growing louder and louder. Toyohiro was still unable to move, but at this point, he didn’t mind. Mikitaka, on the other hand, felt a strong wave of homesickness. He didn’t regret coming to Earth–in fact, quite the opposite–but that didn’t change the fact he missed his home in the Magellanic Clouds. But how  would he express this? Instead, he looked away from the stars towards the Earth and thought about all the wonderful things earth had to offer. His new friends, the animals, the food. Toyohiro. All of it. The thoughts locked away his worries and brought a smile to his face. Closing his eyes, he began to vocalize a song from his home planet. One about finding your own way, and living your life. Toyohiro, while having a bit trouble keeping his focus, began to listen to it, not sure on what to say. Once the tune was over, Mikitaka spoke again, “Toyohiro, do you ever miss your family?” 

“My family? Honestly, if I remembered them well enough, I might’ve.” 

“Oh...do you not remember them fondly?” 

“Not much. I moved out the day I turned 18, and they’ve just been a hazy memory since. It’s not like it matters, though.”

“I am…sorry to hear that.” Mikitaka turned his head so he could see Toyohiro’s face a little better, “I’ve been told parental figures are important here on Earth. I apologize yours were…unsatisfactory.” Toyohiro remained silent for a while. It wasn’t that his family hated him or anything of the sort; he simply just didn’t bother with them, so it was only natural that the few memories he had with them slipped. Mikitaka grew uncomfortable as the silence grew louder. “Apologies. I should not have brought up your parental figures.” 

“Hm? Don’t apologize.” Toyohiro could sense Mikitaka’s uncomfort, but was unable to do anything. Mikitaka, attempting to ease his discomfort, tried to change the subject. 

“So…uh…would you want to be a parental figure someday?” As soon as the words left his lips, he felt the tension rise, as his face grew warm.  **_FUCK_ ** .

**_(THERE IS NO ALIEN SEX. GOD.)_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i dont think you guys r ready for this ending


	15. Here With You

“I like the idea of it. Honestly, I do. How about you?” 

“Well, uh…I am unsure how I would raise a child when I am unsure how to properly interact with you Earthlings now. However, I would not mind, perhaps later on, when I can do it properly…”

“Heh, maybe one day. Somehow. I’m not sure how.” 

“I remember Josuke told me of a way you can obtain children who have lost their parental figures. Adoption, I believe it was called.” Mikitaka’s heart was beating rapidly. Why, exactly?— he was unsure. 

“Adoption is available, sure, but it’s a hassle to go through.” Toyohiro tried moving his hand up to Mikitaka, but still can’t move.

“Well, can’t you steal a child who has no family? That seems like a minimal hassle.” His face remained calm, but eternally he was screaming with every word.

“You’ve got a point.” 

“I do?” Mikitaka looked a little perplexed, as he lifted his head off Toyohiro’s shoulder to look at him better. “I do not believe that is a very good point.” 

“I think it—” Uh oh.  _ Uh oh.  _ **_UH OH._ **

“You think it what?” He looked at Toyohiro, patiently awaiting an answer. Instead, he sees Toyohiro visibly struggling to breathe. “Wait…” Suddenly, it clicked, “ **_OH!_ ** ” He began trying to keep Toyohiro from choking. After a couple of trials, a coin flew straight out of his throat and he caught his breath, finally being able to move. 

“Ahaha…um…” 

“Are you okay?!” Mikitaka looked concerned, a hint of fear glistened in his eyes.

“I’m fine! I’m fine. Nothing to stress about.” 

“…How long have you been unable to move?” He asked, not entirely sure he wanted to know the answer. Toyohiro blanked out for a second or so.

“Two hours?” He nervously tried to giggle his guilt away. No. 

“Two  _ h o u r s _ ?! Why didn’t you say anything?!” Mikitaka felt guilt for not noticing but was more shocked Toyohiro didn’t say anything sooner. 

“I…I liked it when you were laying on me and I didn’t wanna disrupt it…” he mumbled, with his face behind the mask slowly glowing a tinted red. 

“Well, I  **could’ve** laid on you  _ A f t e r _ you could  **_m o v e_ ** .” He said, still a little flabbergasted at the notion Toyohiro didn’t want to disturb him, “I would rather you not be stuck in one position for two hours!” Unsure if he was angry or concerned, Toyohiro lifted his mask just enough so his eyes weren’t visible, only replying with a drawn-out and purely ashamed:

“ _ Sorryyyyyy… _ ” Mikitaka huffed and grumpily turned away from Toyohiro.

“It is alright. I am sorry you had to sit unable to move for two hours…” Mikitaka laid down in the grass. Toyohiro slid his mask back on, now very visibly embarrassed. 

“I liked it though. Um, fuck. Yeaahh.” He lay at a bit of a distance from Mikitaka. 

“You...liked being unable to move?” Mikitaka asked, very clearly confused.

“No! Not that!” 

“Then what?” Mikitaka asked.

“It’s embarrassing.” He covered his face with his hands. 

“You can tell me if you would like.” Mikitaka’s eyes grew wide with curiosity, “But if you don’t wish to tell me, I understand.” Toyohiro didn’t say what it was exactly, but instead, he awkwardly shifted himself closer to Mikitaka and held him from the side begrudgingly. Truth was, he did hate being frozen in place—after staying like that for three years, it’s obvious to see why—but Mikitaka’s contact with him made it up for him and made his heart go wild. Mikitaka’s face became a blushy mess yet again. “O-oh…” was all he managed to stutter out. Mikitaka inched closer into his arms and placed his arm around the other. Toyohiro slowly dug his head into Mikitaka, but not by much. 

“Warm,” he mumbled. Mikitaka chuckled softly, unsure if Toyohiro was still fully awake or not. 

“Are you comfy?” he asked. Toyohiro nodded. “Mmh. That is good.” He leaned into Toyohiro, and gently pecked his head. Toyohiro’s eyes widened and tried to distract himself at just how faltered he was at the moment. 

“Are you comfy too?”

“Mhm.” was all Mikitaka muttered, as he closed his eyes. Comfy was an understatement. Toyohiro lay there, still awake. This cape had been abandoned for who knows how long, so both of them could stay for as long as they wanted to. Lifting his head and peering at the now sleeping Mikitaka, he rested his head once more and shut his eyes.

~

A little while later, Mikitaka opened his eyes. He looked at his watch: it was early o’clock. “Toyohiro, you awake?” He whispered. Toyohiro was completely unconscious, lightly murmuring either nonsense or the repetitive tune. Mikitaka just lightly poked him in the cheek. He was unsure why. “Boop,” he muttered while doing so. Remembering he didn’t have work the next day, he went back to his restful state by Toyohiro. Toyohiro soon opened his eyes. 

“Oh. Um. Morning.” Mikitaka opened his eyes and gazed over at Toyohiro. 

“Morning babe…” He muttered, “Did you sleep well?” Toyohiro perked up. 

“I’d say so. How about you?” He rubbed his eyes. 

“My rest period was superb, as some would say.” He continued to look at Toyohiro, a smile on his face. 

“Say…” Toyohiro looked up at the sky; the Sun was slowly creeping up onto the horizon, with the sky littered with shades of reds, oranges, and purples, “What time is it?”

“Uh…early?” he answered. 

“Hm. Figured. Should we head back?”

“If you would like to,” Mikitaka said, a soft tone present in his voice. He felt rather calm at this moment. Toyohiro, also in a state of pure tranquility in the moment, replied with a simple: 

“Maybe later.” 

“Alright. Whenever you are ready…” He said simply. Toyohiro sat up and shielded his eyes from the light; it had been so long since he’d seen the sunrise. Mikitaka looked up at it. Sure, he had seen a sunrise before, but only from his apartment. Seeing it out in the open was…nice. It was superior in every way to that from his window.

“Did you ever see any sorta sunrise on your planet?” Toyohiro asked, “Y’know, people actually call Japan the ‘Land of the Rising Sun.’ Neat, huh?”

“Very neat.” Mikitaka agreed, “And we did have a sunrise, although It was two suns rather than one. Much more….Sunny.” 

“Two suns? Huh?”

“Indeed. One was further away than the other and orbited the larger one. We just happened to have a planet that orbited both. Somehow…”

“That’s…bizarre.” 

“Yes, it is…very bizarre.” He looked solemnly at the sky, closing his eyes and thinking back to the simpler times. He wondered what he would’ve done differently if he could. Overall, there wasn’t much. He simply wished he hugged his parental figures a little tighter before departing on his final flight. That’s when he realized…water leaked from his eyes. “Strange…” he mumbled out. Toyohiro kept his eyes on the sky. 

“What’s strange?”

“My eyes…they are leaking. How peculiar.” Tears were falling from his eyes, forming small ice crystals on his cheeks and shirt. He was unable to stop them. Sure, he had cried before. But at those times it was mostly out of extreme fear or worry. This was…different than those times. He was unsure of exactly what was happening. Catching wind of this, Toyohiro held Mikitaka’s hand.

“Is everything alright?” his tone shifted to that of care and worry. He’d also seen Mikitaka cry once or twice, but this is much more akin to a sobbing mess than a small weep caused by fear.

“Y-yeah. I am in a perfectly satisfactory state of mind…” This was a lie. Soon the tears began to pour out more and more. 

“It’s fine that you’re not okay, Miki. You don’t have to lie,” Toyohiro squeezed his hand gently, “Here, uh. Do you wanna talk about it?” 

“I just…miss my family. That is all. I will be okay.” 

“If it makes you feel better…I’ve heard tales that once you die, you become a star. And the stars are always up, right?—no matter the time of day. They’re probably watching over you now—I bet they’re really proud of you.” Mikitaka gave a low laugh, but it came out more choked up than anything else.

“I think you have my parental figures all wrong. Even when I became a pilot, they were not proud. They wanted me to be more. Always did…probably found humor in it when I crashed the ship.” 

“Oh.”  **_FUCK._ **

“Oh! I realize that probably sounds terrible!” Mikitaka tensed up, realizing Earth's customs were much different than back home, “On my home planet they do not take too kindly to those in the pilot profession. Pilots were necessary, yes, but were rather looked down upon as common jobs done by even the most uncultured of people. When I became one, my parents did not approve. They wanted me to become something more.” 

“Ah…I see. But you’re the one who landed on Earth, right? Isn’t that ‘more?’” 

“I would say so. Although I technically didn’t land here, and they were unaware I ever made it here.” The tears began to ease up now, even though his face was rather frozen at this point. Toyohiro did his best to wipe the tears off but his hand kept freezing up from the cold, shaking the cold off every one or two seconds. “Thank you,” Mikitaka mumbled. 

“No problem.” Mikitaka sat in silence for a second, letting his thoughts consume him. There was nothing that could be changed now. He slowly exhaled, and let the thoughts leave with his breath. The tears stopped, as he hugged Toyohiro tightly, taking him by surprise.

“Thank you, Toyohiro. For everything.” 

“Really?”

“Of Course! Why wouldn’t I be genuine?!” 

“I’m just…I dunno…I’m not so sure,” Mikitaka spoke up in a voice, calm yet firm, and direct. 

“Toyohiro, although you may not believe me, you are a great person. An amazing one, actually. These past few months have been some of the best in my existence period. I am glad I was able to find you when I did.” 

“I could say the same thing here. You’ve really made life worth living, Miki. I’ve never met anyone like you.”

“Neither have I met anyone like you.” Mikitaka paused for a second. “Toyohiro, I have a question.” 

“Yeah? What is it?” 

“Will you…stay with me? Forever?” 

“Forever? Yeah! Without a doubt.” 

“Really?! You will?!” He pulled away a little while, pure unfiltered joy in his eyes. 

“Yes! Yes! Definitely!” Toyohiro was too ecstatic to freeze up as droplets flung from his eyes. He knew this question would come about one day, but was still happy nonetheless.

“Why are you crying?!” He said, as tears of joys also fell from his cheeks, “Why am I crying?!” 

“Hell if I know!” Toyohiro giggled out, wiping the tears off of his face. Mikitaka did the same with Toyohiro. 

“I am...Happy! I am very happy!” MIkitaka was so excited, in fact, he was forgetting how to use words. Instead of using words, he hugged Toyohiro as tightly as possible. For now, that was all he needed. The two of them looked out at the sunrise, which had now completely transitioned into the sun rising over them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> were near the end :( that really sucks


	16. Epilouge

**Epilogue**

~ 

After fishing out the last couple of coins from his pocket, Toyohiro checked in on Mikitaka. 

“Hey, Miki, you ready yet?” He knocked on the closet door, being careful as to not let his ring scratch from impact. The last three years provided them with nothing but good times with one another—Toyohiro had finally gotten rid of his mask and Mikitaka was integrating more and more into human society. His speech patterns and mannerism had changed slightly, yet they still held traces of his alien heritage. He made sure his own matching ring was secure, and that his clothes were decent for the outing. 

“Yeah, I’m ready to depart!” He said, walking out the closet, “Can you braid my hair before we leave, though? You always make it look nicer than I do.” He handed Toyohiro two hair ties and turned around. 

“It’s not that I make it look nicer, it’s that I make it so it’s harder for animals at the pet store to mess up,” he commented, taking the hair ties and beginning to braid Mikitaka’s hair. “By the way, before we forget, feed Uchi before we go.” 

“Same difference. I think it looks better than my braids, anyway. And I won’t forget. I don’t want a repeat of _ ‘The Incident,’ _ ” he replied with a shudder. Uchi, their mouse, was quite the troublemaker. One time when they forgot to feed him, he escaped his cage and raided the fridge, destroying everything in his path. 

“Yeah, you’ve got a point.” Toyohiro tied the ends of Mikitaka’s hair and let loose of the braid. Mikitaka put it over his shoulder. He looked back at Toyohiro, gave a warm smile, and gave him a peck on the cheek. He perked up and returned the short kiss.

“Thanks, babe,” He said, before walking over to feed Uchi before they left. There was a small hint of blush on his face.

“Nooo prob.” Mikitaka left the bowl in Uchi’s cage and returned to Toyohiro.

“Are you prepared for our adventure?” 

“Heh, adventure? We’re just going to the arcade, it’s not that big of a deal.” Despite what he just said, this was an incredibly big deal for Toyohiro, as it would be the first time they’d visit the arcade ever since they first met, and he often stayed up thinking about that cabinet he’d been stuck in all those years ago.

“Oh, don’t downplay the importance of this! It’ll be a night to remember! What’s it been? Three years?” He poked Toyohiro in the cheek, “And you’re going with your actual face, not that silly mask!” Toyohiro let out a short  _ pfft _ in embarrassment. 

“Hey! That mask was perfectly fine!”

“Suuuuuuuure it was. I prefer the real thing.” He looked at Toyohiro, smiling from ear to ear. 

“Are you suuuuuure? Or do you just hate kissing those fake lips?” he joked back, pointing at Mikitaka’s lips. 

“Hmmmm. Both!” He said, pulling Toyohiro closer, “But if I remember correctly, you first took off your mask to kiss me with your real lips,” he kissed him, “So you tell me. Do you prefer kissing with those fake rubber lips.” His face blew up in a bright red and he froze immediately— even after so long, his body would just stop working if he became too flustered.

“Ah…my real ones,” he heaved. 

“Thought so,” Mikitaka replied matter-of-factly, before shaking him violently as to unfreeze the man. Throughout the years, he had learned what the freezing triggers were. Toyohiro soon unfroze and regained his balance. Trying his best despite the height difference, he leaned over and returned the kiss to Mikitaka—although his was much more awkward. Mikitaka blushed too at the small kiss and gave a small laugh in joy. 

“Well, now are you ready to depart?” 

“I’d say so.” Mikitaka nodded in response, putting his arm in the other’s as they left the apartment. 

They walked back to where it all began: the arcade. It was still as loud as ever, beeping and pinging sounds loudly echoing through the building. It was still as joy-filled to Mikitaka’s ears as the first time. Toyohiro, however, was less entertained and more bugged. 

“Man, this is just  _ wonderful, _ ” he spat out sarcastically. The noises didn’t haunt him as they more or so reminded him of worse times.

“Oh come on. Liven up! Let’s go to the claw machines! I’m sure you would enjoy that!” He tried to comfort Toyohiro, although he was unsure if it was effective.

“Ha, whatever you say.” Though the arcade did bring Toyohiro back to his unfortunate situation, he found it to be much more comforting when he was with Mikitaka. And with that, Mikitaka forcefully dragged him over to a claw machine. 

“This one! This machine!” He just pointed towards it in a rather excited manner. “This is the machine I won the day we met!” 

“It’s still up? That’s been there for years!”

“Yes, it is! Oh, the memories!” A smile radiated from him, eyes beaming with joy. 

“Yeah, the memories of being stuck in a box!” Toyohiro giggled in response. 

“Ah…I didn’t think of it that way,” he somewhat mumbled out. 

“I do. Who can blame me, really? Come on, let’s go play a game or two.” Gripping Mikitaka’s forearm, he took both of them to the claw machine. Mikitaka inserted some coins into the machine and tried his luck at gaining a plushie prize. Luck was not on his side, as it was three years ago, and was unable to get anything. Then it was Toyohiro’s turn. Using the coins he had in his pocket, it took him three or four times to finally get a plush. 

“Oh!” He stuck his hand in the compartment and pulled out a small mouse plush covered in shotty glitter. When Mikitaka saw, he clapped happily.

“Congratulations! You got one!” 

“I guess I did!” Mikitaka looked at the strange glitter-mouse doll.

“What are you gonna name him?” Mikitaka pointed to the mouse. 

“Hm…how about Cabinet Boy? Cuz, you know, he came from an arcade game. I think it’s kinda funny.” 

“Sounds like a fitting name! Cabinet Boy. I like it!” 

“Hold on…Cabinet Boy…that sounds awfully familiar.” 

“Hm? From where?” He looks at him, “I don’t think that’s a common name. I don’t think we have met anyone with that sort of name.” 

“Hmm…oh.  _ Oh. _ ” By now Mikitaka had grown to know his facial expression, and the one Toyohiro currently had was not a good one. It was rather pained and fearful. Gently, he shifted his arm out of Toyohiro’s and grabbed his hand. Gently, he squeezed it. 

“What is wrong?”

“It’s nothing. Really.” He clenched his teeth and tightened his hold on the plush.

“Babe, I know you. There is  _ definitely _ something wrong.”

“Nope! Zero!  _ Nuh-uh! _ ” 

“Are you suuuuuuure?”

“I’m sure.” His palm sweat seeped into the plush. Ew. 

“Okay, fine, there is nothing wrong,” he said, although it was a falsehood. Rather than argue, he decided just to leave the topic be, and keep a close eye on Toyohiro. 

“Yeah! Nothing wrong!” 

“Well, do you want to keep playing claw games, or move to something else?” Mikitaka thought a change of subject would ease Toyohiro’s mind. 

“Let’s see…” He looked around the arcade, before spotting a not-so-far-away vending machine; next to it gathered a group of school kids cheering each other on. “What’s going on over there?”

“It looks like they’re playing a game of some sort?” Mikitaka tried to focus in, before remembering where the arcade machine was the night he met Toyohiro. If they hadn’t moved the claw machine, they probably didn’t move the arcade cabinet. He grabbed on to Toyohiro’s jacket sleeve and tugged. “On second thought…maybe we should stay on this side of the arcade.” 

“Alright?” Then, he heard it. That fucking melody. His eyes widened and he remained in place.  **_“OH,”_ ** was all he could muster. 

“Do you want to head back?” he asked, concerned for Toyohiro. Bringing him back was a mistake. 

“No! No—this is fine. _ It’sss not  _ **_that_ ** _ big a deal. _ ”

“That is the biggest and most unconvincing lie I ever heard.” 

“Really. I’ll be fine, Miki.” No.

“I do not feel that is the case.”

“Well, it is the case. We can go. To…to uh, the arcade machine. Fucking, um.  _ Cabinet Man _ , right?” his voice quivered as he spoke. 

“Are… you sure? That sounds like a terrible idea!” 

“I’m sure.” He was not sure. 

“If you are sure...I won’t stop you. But I will warn against it.” Toyohiro stood straight up and headed to the area, although very hesitant to do so. Mikitaka followed behind, worried about what might happen. He stopped after a few steps. 

“Nevermind,” he muttered. He froze in his place out of pure dread. “ _ Shit. _ ” Mikitaka gave him a look of concern. 

“Nevermind what? What’s wrong?” Mikitaka looked up at him, worried for Toyohiro.

“I can’t do it.” 

“Then you don’t have to.” 

“I know I don’t but,” he sighed, “ I just. Erm. Um.” 

“Do you…want to?” 

“I mean. I do. But—” Mikitaka gave him an awkward hug as if trying to comfort him.

“You do not have to if you don’t want to. But if you want to, I will not stop you. I trust you to make that decision.”

“I think I’ll just wait a bit. I dunno.” 

“Okay, take as much time as you need.” Toyohiro remained in Mikitaka’s arms without moving a muscle. They stayed like this until they heard something; a loud and blood curdling screaming echoing across the floor of the building. 

“You don’t think it’s…” he began. 

“I...I am unsure. But I do not believe there are many other causes. To make…that…sound.” The scream ended soon after, with schoolchildren from one area dispersing. They giggled and murmured to each other, leaving the machine alone save for one figure. 

“I…think it’s safe now.” 

“You think so?” Mikitaka shuddered, “I wonder what happened exactly.” 

“I’m pretty sure I know.” He regained his composure and made his way to the arcade machine with heavy steps and his hands clenched shut. Mikitaka followed behind, to see exactly what had happened. Toyohiro stood right in front of the arcade machine—he made it. This was his doing. After all this time, he still couldn’t believe it. What he could believe, however, was seeing a small and understandably weeping child roll out from the cabinet. 

“Oh.”

“Was...Was there another kid in there?!” Mikitaka looked terrified, looking at the child unsure of what to do exactly. Toyohiro nodded and kneeled to the child, trying his best to seem friendly despite his appearance.

“Uhm…hello. What’s your name?” He asked. The child—a little girl wearing a dark dress and with long navy hair— raised her head and locked eyes with Toyohiro. Her dark hair was draped around her face, but her most prominent features were her large and teary eyes. She sniffed before answering:

“Uh, uh, it’s M-Michiko,” she stuttered, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. Mikitaka kneeled to her and waved a hand.

“Salutations, Michiko. My name is Mikitaka, and this is Toyohiro,” He gestured to the man by his side, “Did you, perchance, happen to just emerge from an arcade cabinet?” She nodded. 

“Don’t worry, erm, Michiko. You know, I was actually the first person in there.”

“You…were?” she sputtered. He nodded. 

“Well, actually, I made the damn—” Mikitaka threw him a short glace, “Erm, darn thing a few years back. It’s a kinda weird story but I promise you’ll be fine. How long were you in it for?” She held up six fingers to indicate either six months or weeks. “I’m sure you’ll be fine. Just get some rest, eh? And…uh…don’t mind the coin spitting thing. Yeah, it’s weird and gross, but hey! Free money!” To better show what he tried to explain, he forced out a cough and had a coin land on the ground. “See?” Michiko looked at the coin and touched it to get a better look before wiping her hand on her dress due to the saliva. “Uh. How about we take you to your parents?” 

“You…have parents, correct?” Mikitaka asked. She nodded. 

“I…I think Mama and Papa said they were leaving Japan…” she mumbled. Toyohiro patted her back, unsure of what to do. 

“They…left you?” He was more shocked than anything else, “Parental figures don’t leave their kids! That is absurd!” The little girl didn’t respond and instead tried cleaning herself up. She pushed her hair back, revealing a set of pointed ears; not to the extent of Mikitaka’s, but pointed nonetheless. Looking back at the couple, she also saw their ears that fit perfectly with their odd appearances, and she let out a giggle.

Mikitaka noticed her ears and pointed at his own. “We match,” he said lightheartedly, trying to calm her down. He was unsure if it was successful. 

“Huuh?” 

“Our ears. They match,” He said again, grabbing onto his ears and pulling. 

“Ooh! They do!” Her mood soon picked up. Mikitaka giggled. 

“Heh. What a funny coincidence!” 

“Your ears are super long! Woah! Longer than mine times three! I never knew anyone use had pointy ears!” Mikitaka went closer to her, and whispered:

“Psst, He has them too, although he doesn’t like them.” He pointed up at Toyohiro’s ears and grinned. Michiko took a look at Toyohiro’s face before letting out another giggle. Flustered and not knowing what to say, Toyohiro fidgeted with the plush. 

“Wow! He does!” Mikitaka nodded. 

“See, you’re not alone!” She stared in awe at the two of them.

“You’re right! Wow! Misters, you’re super cool!” Mikitaka tsked. 

‘I would not go that far. I’m not that interesting, but I do have some stories.” Toyohiro nudged him. 

“You’re literally an alien. Come on, that’s really fucki—” Mikitaka glared at him, “—um, super cool.” 

“Wow! Are you reaaallly?” She started in pure and utter joy at Mikitaka. 

“Pfft, it’s not  _ thaaaaaat  _ interesting,” He said, “But yes, I am.” 

“No, he’s right! That’s really really really cool! I’ve never seen an alien before!” 

“Well, now you have. But don’t tell too many people. I’ve integrated into Earth well. For the most part…” He muttered the last bit. She put her pointer finger up to her mouth and shushed.

“I won’t tell anyone! Promise!” she whispered with a wide smile on her face. 

“Hm…” Toyohiro thought to himself, before glancing at Mikitaka with a look that said, “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Mikitaka gave him a raised eyebrow before he could pinpoint Toyohiro’s exact thought. 

“You’re not suggesting we–” He stopped there, attempting to analyze what was happening. Toyohiro nodded. Mikitaka nodded in response and turned back to the girl. 

“Say, uh, Michiko. Would you like to come with us for the time being until we might be able to find your parents?” He realized after saying just how awkward it sounded. She nodded. Mikitaka just offered her a hand, to help her up. Slowly, she stood up and was now able to get a better view of the couple. Were they friendly or not? Appearance-wise, no one could tell. Toyohiro ruffled his hair and looked back at Mikitaka. 

“How about…hm…before we head home, we go out for ice cream? How’s that sound?”

“That sounds fun! Let’s go!” Mikitaka pointed towards the direction of the doorway. Michiko grew a small smile on her face, one of comfort. Despite only knowing the off couple for so little, she had a feeling in her gut that she could trust them. They had no malicious intent towards her, and it made her fuzzy inside, unlike the schoolchildren who peer pressured her into winning the game, and then going back and forth to said arcade to mess with the machine. “Onward!” He said in a warm voice. And with that, the two—now three of them— headed out to the streets of Morioh. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tysm for reading till the end!!! weve really appreciated your comments they mean so much to us <3 i hope you liked this fic!! this all started from a dumb idea at 3am and now its this massive fic :) this one came out a bit later bc we both had school but yeah this is about it im not good at writing sappy things kwgnwkgnrkwe nkwr but thank you!!!! we will be writing another toyomiki fic ! stay tooned :] - honeyc0rpse
> 
> Thank y'all for reading! We love all your comments and seeing how much y'all loved the story! I hope we brought some sort of entertainment from this. Looking forward to writing more in the future! Take care and hydrate. -Scorpion_Lungz

**Author's Note:**

> so we got a bit too inspired by cabinet man by lemon demon n how it reminded us of superfly so now this fic is a thing??? idk it just happened  
> i write all of toyohiro's stuff from his pov and she writes it from mikitaka's so im sorry if the writing styles r too clashy ^^  
> we also only write this at midnight lol it makes no sense -honeyc0rpse


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